Submitted by Grainne Kennedy on Thu, 2017-10-26 12:10
Do you give much thought to what happens to your waste after you put it in the bin? Is it recycled, reused, sent to landfill or is it turned into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF)?
You need wonder no more, as the University’s main waste contractor has put together a guide describing what happens to each type of waste, accompanied by a handy video explaining step-by-step how they process our waste. The first thing to note is that no waste from the central University waste contract is sent to landfill. Waste that would’ve been sent to landfill under the University’s previous waste contract is now processed and becomes RDF in a process known as Energy from Waste.
In 2015-16, a new food waste collection system diverted 153 tonnes of food waste to a composting facility, where it was turned into a useful product. In the same year 1,114 tonnes of operational waste was recycled. But we could still do better! A waste audit in 2015 showed that 43% of what was put into landfill bins in University buildings could have been recycled. While some of this is caused by the many different activities and research which take place in each building, much of it is simply about having clear signage, good bin placement, and strong procedures – all of which have a big impact on reinforcing good waste management behaviours. You can read more about how to improve your department’s performance, and check your progress against our simple tick list, in the guide to waste & recycling for University departments.
If you would like to spread the word, download our waste posters.