Could you recycle that?
In a world of finite resources, we have a duty to manage the waste we produce as individuals, and as an organisation, correctly.
From the end of March, recycling legislation is getting a boost. The new Simpler Recycling in England policy focuses on making recycling simpler for everyone and standardising how recycling works across England. These changes apply to business and council household waste collections, so you might see some changes at home in the coming year as well.
Waste management on campus
We’re already compliant with the changes being introduced, but we’d still love to capture much more recyclable waste.
On average, our recycling rate each year hovers around 30-35%. We’d like to get that up to 50%, and we need everyone to do their bit to get us there.
We have been making changes in recent years to improve facilities for recycling, as well as trying to reduce waste overall. In addition to dry recycling in accommodation, food waste collections have been rolled out in a number of student flats, with more to come. Audits of bin provision, both in buildings and outdoors, have been carried out to make sure the right facilities are in the right places. We are also working with Essex Food to explore better facilities in food outlets and for takeaway packaging. Wherever possible, we ask that suppliers remove packaging when products are delivered (for example, the fit-out of classrooms or offices) and we have our own hub to store furniture that can be rehomed on campus.
Where should your waste go?
Recycling on the go is easy.
The dry mixed recycling bins are for these items (as long as they have no food/liquid etc. left inside):
- plastic bottles
- plastic trays
- cans for food or drinks
- paper/card/newspapers/magazines
- paper or card food packaging, unless very greasy/dirty
We have separate bins for food waste, where you should put all food leftovers, as well as tea bags and coffee grounds.
There are also separate bins for glass.
The general waste bins should be used for everything else. This includes:
- paper napkins and paper towels
- crisp and confectionary packets
- coffee cups
- sandwich boxes
- takeaway packaging that’s oily or had food in
- ‘compostable’ takeaway packaging
But why does it matter?
Separating materials for recycling means they can be used again. It’s a vital part of better resource use and one of the easiest ways you can do your bit to cut pollution and reduce carbon emissions. Waste treatment types vary, but at the University our waste goes down three main routes:
- recycling – materials that we separate are sorted at a facility, and each of the different types (glass, plastic, paper, card, metal) are sent off to be reprocessed and reused. Did you know that a recycled can is most likely to become another can in future? They’re infinitely recyclable.
- anaerobic digestion – our food waste is treated to produce methane, which is used as energy, then the leftover solids are used as fertiliser.
- incineration for energy – any general waste is incinerated to produce energy. We do not send our waste to landfill, aside from a small amount of materials that cannot be incinerated (usually less than 1% of our annual waste).
Being sustainable can feel difficult sometimes, but recycling is one of the most simple, everyday actions that you can take to do your bit. Be part of the University’s efforts by sorting your waste. If you have any questions, contact the Sustainability team.
