Status: Complete
Provide more general waste bins next to recycling bins on campus
All around campus there are recycling bins but quite often without a general waste bin next to them, often meaning that people throw their general waste into the recycling bins because they can’t be bothered to find a waste bin. This then contaminates stuff that could’ve been recycled. I’ve noticed the library has recently put joint bins with both recycling and waste in, why aren’t the other bins like this too?
Providing general waste bins with every recycling bin would massively reduce contaminated recycling, and encourage people to properly recycle.
Responses
Hi there,
I come back to you with an update!
The University operates a two-bin recycling system in our office, catering and teaching/learning spaces - one bin for food waste, and one bin for virtually everything else.
The mixed waste is sorted off-site at a materials recycling facility. Any waste that can’t be recycled is sent to an energy from waste facility so that energy and heat can be recovered. Food waste is sent for anaerobic digestion, which breaks down biodegradable materials using micro-organisms, producing gas that can be used to generate electricity and heat.
While this approach generally works, we have had some problems in some locations (mainly catering outlets) with liquid contamination in the mixed recycling bins. A three-bin system (Recyclables, Food and General Waste) was trialled at Winchester and in the Hartley Library to see if a reduction in contamination could achieved. In Winchester, the trial did not prove itself to be better (or worse) than the two-bin system at reducing contamination and the trial of the bin placement in the library has yet to be concluded.
Information about the University’s recycling system is published in the Welcome packs issued to newly arriving students at our Halls of Residence each year and further details can be found here https://www.southampton.ac.uk/estates/what-we-do/waste-and-recycling.page
I hope this helps to answer your query but if you would like to discuss this further please feel free to get in touch with me via president@soton.ac.uk
Kind regards,
Emily Harrison,
SUSU President, 2019-20
Thursday 27th Feb 2020 12:26pm
Hi there,
Thank you for your You Make Change submission.
Apologies for the delay, I'm working through a backlog of submissions inheritated from some members of the previous Sabbatical team.
I will raise this with University Estatesand Facilities and come back to you with an update as soon as possible!
Kind regards,
Emily Harrison,
Union President, 2019/20
Friday 25th Oct 2019 2:05pm
Actions
- Forwarded to Union President
Friday 22nd Mar 2019 1:07pm
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