Campus Recycling Center - IPF
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The Intermediate Processing Facility (IPF), also known as the campus recycling center, is an intermediate step in the recycling process, between the campus buildings at CU and the end markets for recycling. |
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At the IPF, students work sorting, weighing, and shipping recyclables that have been collected from all over campus. Up to 10,000 pounds of recyclables are processed at the IPF each day! |
The Recycling Process at CU
Step 1: Materials Collection
| First, materials are collected from the various campus buildings by the Facilites Management Recycling Crews. | ![]() |
Step 2: The Dumper
Second, the poly-carts full of recyclables are loaded into the “dumpers”, which dump the materials onto the conveyor belt.

Step 3: The Sorting Line
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On the sorting lines, students do what we call a "negative sort". Here, contaminants, or unrecyclables, are pulled out of the recyclable waste stream. |
Step 4: Record the Numbers
| After materials are sorted, the processed recyclables are weighed and recorded. | ![]() |
Step 5: Ship It Off
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Then they are prepared for shipment by separating into large roll-offs, or truck beds. The materials in the roll-offs is taken to a local recycling operation, Eco-cycle, who sells them to markets all over the country, where they are made into materials for use again. |






