Waste Minimization Plan

The Waste Minimization Plan was completed in 2024 and provides an important pillar to the work that the university has done for the past 16 years to advance sustainability. In that time, the university achieved a 42% diversion of waste from the landfill.The Waste Minimization Plan consists of four focus areas, each containing various initiatives to be accomplished by 2029. This plan is focused on the reduction of the total waste produced on campus and an increase in sustainable purchasing and contracting.

Read Our Waste Minimization Plan

Recycling Program

Bentley has a robust single stream recycling program with an easy blue and black color-coded system. This means that all recycling goes into the blue bins and trash into the black bins. All common spaces and offices should be equipped with the appropriate bins.

Questions about how to recycle properly? Consult our Trash and Recycling Guide.

If you are missing a trash or recycling bin please put in a work order with Facilities Management here

Remember that anything you recycle must be clean and as dry as possible.

Composting

Bentley has been composting behind the scenes in kitchens since 2013. Food scraps are collected for composting in the university's three main preparatory kitchens servicing The 921 Dining Hall, the LaCava Lower Café, Faculty Staff Dining Room, campus catering operations and the Dana Center Food Court. Post-consumer (i.e. leftover) food from The 921 Dining Hall and catering operations is also collected in the university's compost program.

Community members can participate in composting in the LaCava Café only. Diners are encouraged to put food and paper based to-go containers in the compost bins. To learn more about what is compostable in the LaCava Café click here.

To learn more about composting at Bentley watch this video.

Textile Recycling and Donation

Textiles are banned from disposal in trash bins in Massachusetts. To reduce trash generation throughout the state, textiles including clothes, shoes, linens, towels, curtains, and cloth accessories must now be recycled or donated. 95% of textiles can be recycled or donated for reuse. To aid that effort, Bentley has partnered with Helpsy to install three clothing and shoe donation bins on campus located in:

The parking lot at Lewis Hall
The parking lot near Rhodes Hall
Near building B on North Campus

Give 'N Go

Give 'N Go is Bentley's sustainable move out program where students can donate items they don't want to take with them. Reusable goods like clothing, furniture and kitchen items are collected and donated to Goodwill Northern New England. In addition, all non-perishable food donated by residential students is given to Healthy Waltham. In total, the Bentley community donated 11,040 lbs of reusable items during the Spring 2023 move out cycle.

Learn More About Give 'N Go

Electronics Recycling

Bentley offers two electronic recycling stations for students, faculty and staff to recycle electronics such as batteries, cell phones, hand-held electronics and inkjet cartridges. Stations are located are on the ground floor of the library (next to the Client Services desk) and the first floor of Morison Hall.

Bentley Owned Electronics

Items such as networked printers, copiers, and fax machines that are marked with a network tag or ID are handled by Client Services. Please contact them if you have one of these items that are no longer being used in your department.

Other Bentley owned electronics such as small desktop printers, scanners and small electronics used in Bentley departments can be recycled through Facilities Management. Faculty and Staff can put in a work order (or call x2208) at least 5 days in advance for the movers to pick up electronics for recycling. Facilities Management will collect these items for recycling by North Coast Services.

Personal Electronics

Bentley does not provide recycling services for large personal electronics. Large electronics can be recycled in a number of ways.
Most towns provide "Household Hazardous Waste Days" or "Electronics Recycling Days" several times per year. Some towns have curbside pickup and some require residents to drop electronics off at the Department of Public Works. Check out your town's website and look under "DPW" or "Solid Waste and Recycling" for more information.

Best Buy offers free recycling services for electronics, even if you didn't buy them at Best Buy! This is a great example of a company taking responsibility for the full life cycle of their products.

Re-Use Program

Bentley has a Microsoft Teams site called Re-use. This is a place for employees to swap office items with others on campus. Check the Re-use Teams Site before purchasing new items as someone on campus may have the item that you seek.

Please note: This site is for exchanging small office items only. If you have furniture you are no longer using please contact Procurement and Campus Services.

If you would like to participate in the Re-use Team: Go to Teams. In the top right corner click "Join" or "Create Team." In the "search teams" field, type "Re-use." Click on the team and select "Join."

Food Rescue Program

In  2018, Bentley started a leftover food donation program in the 921 dining hall in collaboration with, a local non-profit food rescue organization. Through this program, leftover prepared food from the campus’ 921 Dining Hall is collected and frozen by Bentley Dining staff. Starting in Fall 2024 Bentley entered into a new partnership with Rescuing Leftover Cuisine (RLC). RLC is a nonprofit organization that collects and delivers surplus food to people in need through local non-profit partnerships.

Falcons Finding Food:

Falcons Finding Food is a pilot program running during Fall 2024 semester where members of the community will be notified when there is leftover food at events. People who sign up can come to the event in a specified period of time and eat the food onsite or take the food to go. The food is first come first served and is not guaranteed. You can sign up here or go to https://bentley.service-now.com/ and search Find Food.

How It Works

Goal: Minimize leftover food waste from campus events.

Pilot program dates: This pilot will happen in November and December 2024. We anticipate that there will be around 10 events to offer food between those dates.

Sign-Up: People who sign up for notifications can come to an event hosted on Bentley campus must register. You will then receive alerts via email and text is optional when leftover food is available.

Availability: The notification released will indicate when the food is available until. The food is not guaranteed to those who receive the notification.

Details in Alerts: Notifications will include the number of servings, type of food and any allergens. They will also include location and time frame that the food is available.

Risks: Pre-cooked meals and transportation carry with them inherent risks that include, but are not limited to, health hazards resulting from improper transport, handling, and storage. By consuming leftover food, participants acknowledge that they accept all risks and waive any potential liability as to Bentley University or any other food donor associated with the donated food that is made available.

Both federal law (42 U.S.C.A. § 1791) and Massachusetts law (Mass. Gen. Law sch. 94 § 328) provide food donors (including Bentley University) liability protection related to food donations. Notwithstanding the above, individuals who sign up to participate in the Falcons Finding Food pilot program and who accept any donated food, as a condition of participation, accept all risks of consuming leftover food and waive any potential claims it may have against any food donors (including Bentley University).

This program helps ensure that surplus food is put to good use, benefiting both the environment and the campus community.  This program is only a pilot, and Bentley reserves the right to change the access, deny access, or cancel the program at any time and in its sole discretion.

Falcons Finding Food is a partnership among the Office of Sustainability, Procurement and Campus Services, and Bentley Dining.

Waste Minimization