Upon the recommendation of the Campus Planning Council, WMU hired a recycling coordinator in 1990 to "coordinate" the various groups that historically had tried to recycle.

In January 1991, several buildings started recycling paper and cardboard. Custodial Services collected both trash and recycling until August 1992. In October 1992, students were hired to collected recyclables from offices and classrooms. Residents of campus apartments and residence halls are responsible for removing their own recyclables and trash.

The program started with just paper and cardboard. Over the years it has expanded and now accepts many other items.

Current recyclables include paper, cardboard, green, brown and clear glass bottles, #1 - #7 plastic bottles, metal cans, caps, and foils, laser toner cartridges, inkjet cartridges, polystyrene foam, transparencies, batteries, Tyvek, cell phones, electronic equipment, empty aerosol containers, fluorescent light bulbs/ballasts, waste oil, and oil filters. Only items generated on campus may be recycled on campus.