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Waste management 

We follow the simple waste hierarchy of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle to minimise our waste outputs as a University. Working with our waste contractor, we currently send zero waste to landfill. Our current recycling rate is at 79%, with approximately 20% being sent for incineration or to an energy from waste plant. 

We have simplified our waste streams from 5 to 3 over recent years, to include mixed recycling, general and paper. In certain areas such as staff kitchenettes and the cafeteria we have food waste bins which are collected separately and sent for anaerobic digestion via Refood (external link). 

How we minimise waste

  • Working with contractors to reduce waste during construction and refurbishment projects
  • Reusing furniture where we can
  • Encouraging the use of reusable water bottles and cups rather than disposable options throughout our catering outlets
  • Running end of year Green Move Out scheme for students to donate unwanted items to the new arriving students
  • Recycling IT equipment through our IT supplier 
  • Providing  recycling points on campus internally and externally
  • Composting garden waste each year, to reuse within the campus grounds as soil improver
  • Sending food waste from catering outlets and kitchens to be anaerobically digested via our waste contractor ReFood.