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How can colleges reduce waste and promote recycling?
Across the UK, college waste management is vital. A recent study shows that 210,700 tonnes of waste is produced by educational institutions annually (Tidy Planet). There is no exact figure for further education, but with almost 300 further education colleges, sixth-form colleges, and colleges of higher education in the UK (Prospects), it is safe to say that colleges and their thousands of students, teachers and support staff will have a say in how much waste educational institutions produce.
With that said, it is crucial that college waste is managed correctly to ensure that students, teachers or support staff reduce, reuse and recycle to tackle waste effectively and improve the environment.
Locations served
- Amesbury
- Andover
- Bath
- Bristol
- Cirencester
- Chippenham
- Devizes
- Faringdon
- Frome
- Malmesbury
- Marlborough
- Newbury
- Portishead
- Salisbury
- Shaftesbury
- Swindon
- Trowbridge
- Tidworth
- Warminster
- Weston-Super-Mare
- Yate
Page overview
The types of waste produced
Waste impact on the environment
Improving sustainability
Reducing waste case studies
Recycling schemes and innovations
Benefits of waste reduction and recyling
- Plastic waste: 16% of waste produced by the education sector is made of plastic. Plastic waste can be collected from single-use plastics such as bottles, cutlery, plates, or cups. Additionally, colleges and students receive equipment, supplies or packages that arrive at the college wrapped in plastics such as plastic bags, bubble wrap or shrink wrap. (source: Waste Watch).
- Furniture waste: College students can also generate other forms of waste besides food and drink, for example, e-waste from electrical items and hazardous laboratory waste from science labs. The quantities of these different types of waste can vary depending on the college and its practices; for example, catering colleges may produce more food waste, whereas art colleges may produce more paper-based waste.
- Paper waste: Waste in colleges comes from various sources, such as cafeterias, students’ residences, events, gatherings, vending machines, and convenience stores on campus. WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) estimates that the UK’s education sector produces 210,700 tonnes of waste each year, which includes 123,000 tonnes of food waste (source: Tidy Planet). Paper waste can come from handouts, textbooks, and coffee cups. Students and teachers alike can be spotted on campus sipping from their paper coffee cups, and contrary to common belief, most coffee cups are non-recyclable, meaning that 2.5 billion coffee cups end up in landfill annually in the UK alone (source: Shredall).
Climate change
Did you know that when waste decomposes at landfill sites it releases methane? A potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. The education sector disposes of 615,000 tonnes of waste, that’s a lot of greenhouse gases contributing to climate change but at Hills Waste cutting-edge tools to collect the methane and covert it to renewable energy (source: Waste Watch).
Resource depletion
When colleges use large amounts of paper, plastic, and other materials, they contribute to the depletion of natural resources and can contribute to deforestation, ocean pollution, and other forms of environmental damage.
Pollution
Hazardous waste or chemicals from science labs improperly could harm water and soil, as well as wildlife and human health. Waste or chemicals left in nature instead of being correctly disposed of might degrade wildlife and contribute to biodiversity loss when nature becomes polluted or destroyed.
Energy consumption
Creating new products from raw materials requires significant energy, contributing to carbon emissions and climate change. The education sector’s energy consumption produces approximately 5.45 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually (source: Waste Watch).
Overall, the environmental impacts of waste caused by colleges in the UK are significant. Reducing waste and improving waste management practices are crucial to mitigating these impacts.
Reduce
Colleges can reduce their environmental impact by creating systems that reduce energy, water use and waste generation. This can include installing energy-efficient performance lighting and appliances, reducing paper and plastic usage, and encouraging students and staff to use eco-friendly methods of travel such as; public transport, cycling and car sharing.
Reuse
Colleges can also introduce recycling processes, so plastics and papers, metals and glasses can be recycled, to avoid landfills. Food waste and other green waste can be composted.
Recycle
Colleges can also implement recycling programs to divert waste from landfills. This can include recycling paper, plastic, metal, and glass. Additionally, they can compost food waste and outdoor waste.
Other ideas:
Promote sustainable food: Colleges can source food from local, sustainable sources, reduce meat consumption, and promote plant-based options.
Increase green spaces: Creating green spaces on campus can help improve air quality, reduce the urban heat island (UHI) effect, and provide habitat for wildlife.
Promote sustainable practices in the curriculum: Colleges can incorporate sustainability into their curriculum, offering courses on sustainability and promoting sustainable practices in all areas of study.
Encourage sustainability initiatives: Inspiring students and staff to get involved in sustainability initiatives can help promote a culture of sustainability on campus and lead to innovative solutions and ideas for reducing the college's environmental impact.
Committing to becoming net zero
The Bristol One City Climate Change Ask encourages colleagues in Bristol to reuse, reduce and recycle. As part of this scheme, one college recycled 70% of it’s office waste and separated even more of it’s academic waste for recycling (waste metal, wood and miscellaneous). And, 50% of office paper has been replaced with recycled paper, decreasing printing and photocopying levels by 7 million copies per year.
Building a culture of sustainability
At a college in Weston, a culture of sustainability is ingrained into the community ethos. For example, they have introduced more green measures, including efficient lighting, energy-efficient appliances, recycling, composting, and a composting scheme for food waste. The centre has even built an onsite sustainable energy generating centre, using solar panels and other renewable energy technologies to produce power.
Installing recycling facilities
Colleges can implement a range of waste reduction initiatives. In doing so, one college in Bath reduced the amount of paper it used on campus by digitising processes and documents. They also implemented a food waste reduction scheme, encouraging staff and students to bring reusable cups and bottles.
Schemes and innovations that help colleges reduce waste.
The green gown awards
Launched in 2004, the Green Gown Awards honour universities and colleges that are leading the way in sustainability – and gold-standard sustainability is now an issue at the top of the agenda. The Awards are established as the flagship recognition of best practice in further and higher education.
Discover more >
Circular economy thinking
The Circular Economy in Education programme by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation is a set of resources and guidance designed to support educational institutions in implementing the circular economy in their operations and curriculum. The circular economy concept relates to a systems solution framework that helps to tackle global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, waste and pollution.
Environmental impact
Reducing waste and recycling can significantly reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill or incineration, which can have negative environmental impacts. Colleges can also conserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and minimise their carbon footprint by reducing waste.
Cost savings
Recycling can be cost-effective for colleges as it reduces the need for waste disposal and can generate revenue from selling recyclable materials. Additionally, reducing waste can lead to cost savings by reducing the need to purchase new materials and decreasing the amount of disposable waste.
Reputation and community engagement
By reducing waste and promoting recycling, colleges can enhance their reputation as socially responsible institutions and demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. This can also help to engage with the local community and promote sustainability beyond the campus.
Compliance
UK colleges must comply with environmental legislation, such as the Environmental Protection Act of 1990 and the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011. These laws set out requirements for waste management, including the storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of waste.
