The interior of the recycling center on campus.

With our 5,700-square-foot Material Recovery Facility, we ensure that over 60% of campus waste never goes in the landfill.

A red line illustrates the walking path used to get from main campus to the Recycling Facility.
The walking path from Adirondack View to the Recycling Facility.

The Reuse Trailers 

The Ruse Trailers are closed for the winter.  We will reopen in Spring 2024.

Middlebury reuses! From clothes to electronics to school supplies, anything that comes to the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is stored in the reuse trailers until someone comes along to find it.

Here’s what you need to know to take advantage of the reuse trailers:

  • Located at the Recycling Center, which is down the hill from Ridgeline by the windmill on Rt 125. See map above for walking directions.
  • Open mid-spring through mid-fall, except for about a month around move out time.
  • Open Monday through Friday 11:30 am to 3:30 pm, or by appointment made via recycling@middlebury.edu.
  • When classes are in session, items are free to students. During the summer, a bag of items is between $5 and $10. Electronics are always free!

Some examples of items we have that are still looking for a home:

  • Mini fridges
  • Rugs
  • Fans
  • Kitchen appliances
  • Clothes hangers
  • Mirrors
  • and so much more!

The MRF and Reuse Trailers are open weather permitting. Please call (802) 443-3087 to check the current status prior to coming. 

Steps to Successful Recycling

Faculty, staff, and students are expected to empty and sort their own trash and recycling at the Centralized Recycling Stations located throughout every campus building. These stations are placed with consideration to building use and fire code. Each station has at least one trash, one recycling, and one compost bin. We adjust the number of bins at each station depending on the needs of the building.

  • Use your blue recycle bin in your room or work area. See recycling guidelines below.
  • Use your gray/black/tan trash bin for non-recyclable items such as food wrappers, styrofoam, tissues, paper towels, hygiene products, and other materials.
  • Use our building’s compost bin for all food waste, compostable food containers and utensils (anything from dining halls, the Grille, and other on-campus cafes), and tea bags. You can learn more about compost at Middlebury here.

Recycling Guidelines

Middlebury recycles all types of paper, cardboard, glass, #1-7 plastics, tin, and aluminum, provided that they are clean and free of food or liquid. Most recyclable items are clearly marked with that information. Please remember that we do not single-sort; that is, we cannot recycle bins contaminated with non-recyclables.

We also recycle fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, veggie and motor oil, cds, disks, cell phones, and electronic equipment. You can find stations to recycle these electronic items in each dining hall, McCullough Student Center, Anderson Freeman Center, Davis Family Library, and Bicentennial Hall.

Not sure if the item recycles? Contact recycling@middlebury.edu.

Recycle It

Colored paper    

White office paper

Newspaper

Envelopes (windows OK)

Post It notes    

Magazines    

Books (hardcover & softcover)    

Boxboard (i.e. shoe and cereal boxes)    

Paper bags      

Notebooks

#1 PETE (water bottles, food and beverage containers, etc.)

#2 HDPE (laundry soap bottles, milk jugs, tubs)

#3,4,5,6 & 7 Plastics (tubs, food containers, etc.)

Aluminum (beverage cans, clean foil and pans)

Tin cans

Aerosol cans (empty please)

Metal lids

Trash It

Candy wrappers

Paper cups

Paper plates

Label sheets

Carbon paper

Aluminum lined paper

Styrofoam 

Empty motor oil containers

Plastic grocery bags

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