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Under desk bin changes
at Greenwich Campus
Useful information
for staff:
What’s new?
Greenwich is the last of the three campuses to make the move to a centralised recycling
system.
It comprises a small change. Under desk bins will remain though the cleaners will no longer
empty them. Staff are requested to do this by segregating their waste at the centralised waste
recycling units similar to the image on the right. Staff are asked to do this daily, though they can
use a number of approaches that they consider appropriate. See examples below:
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If you produce a lot of paper they can consider getting a lid of a copier paper box and use
this to collect paper. When full take it to your nearest recycling area
Take your recycling to the centralised area on the way to the loo or lunch
You can offer to take a colleague’s to share the job
You can ask your Sustainability Champion (if your department has one) to give you advice
to help you reduce the waste you generate or provide advice to help you respond to this
change. If you don’t have a champion contact sustainability@gre.ac.uk
The following document provides additional information and advice to
assist with this transition.
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Waste & Recycling Targets
There is a target to achieve 70%
recycling by July 2016 for the
University as a whole.
A 5% annual increase from Aug
2016.
Our recycling (and waste
generation) rates are reported to
Green League, so any
improvement will help our Green
League score and potentially our
league position.
Without staff engagement our
goals will be difficult to achieve.
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Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
If we enable staff to avoid producing
recyclable/residual waste then they don’t have to
deal with it later. A win-win!
The University is able to potentially recycle a lot of
‘waste’ we generate. This is a resource that can be
used again and again, saving precious natural
resources including energy, water and trees and
other raw materials from being used up
Any recyclable waste that is thrown in the
landfill/incineration section wastes valuable
resources many of which are finite!
Contamination –best avoided as this can mean all
the other recyclables are sent to incineration instead
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Benefits of Centralised Recycling Points
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It improves our recycling rates (bin audits demonstrate 80-90% is possible in offices)
It reduces waste sent for incineration & reduces carbon emissions
It illustrates our environmental responsibility and improve our Green League and other rating
scores
It can help improve health and wellbeing as staff should regularly (every 50 minutes or so) get
away from their desks and move about (taking the recycling and residuals to the bin can be a
good reason to get away from the computer)
The cleaners don’t segregate the waste from the under desk bins instead this was previously
incinerated, a waste of valuable resources (that affects our Green League score)
Well known, innovative companies (Apple, Google etc) use similar policies as it means staff
have more positive interaction opportunities with colleagues and students
As a University we are producing less waste as staff are doing a good job in printing less so the
requirement of regular bin emptying is becoming less needed
This approach helps staff understand the types and amounts of waste and recyclables they
generate and this can trigger beneficial behaviour changes such as printing less
Any financial savings can be put into improving services to students and staff
It can make staff feel good. Even small positive behaviours make people feel good. Over a year
staff can feel proud to have made a real difference to the planet and society
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Does it work?
Post
centralised
recycling
Before
centralised
recycling
Bywaters our waste contractors have
recommended we take this action:
‘Research carried out by Bywaters has
proved that by enabling staff to segregate
their under desk bin contents the recycling
recovery rate is estimated to be between
80-90%. By keeping the under desk bins
the recycling recovery rate will remain at
30-55%.’
In LSE where they moved to
centralised recycling rates
went up to 90% whereas the
campus average was 40%
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If you have The Meridian Envirobin
Designed in partnership between the
University of Greenwich and Leafield
Environmental Ltd.
- Manufactured in the UK using chipped
plastic from old bins
- 70:30 split towards recycling is a UK first
- Bin designed to make recycling easier
than not recycling
- University gets 3% royalty on all sales of
the bins
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Recycling on Campus
For full list visit this web page:
http://blogs.gre.ac.uk/greengreenwich/action-areas/waste/
Recyclables
Non-Recyclables
(clear & white bags)
(black bags)
Paper (magazines,
coursework, lecture notes
etc.)
Food waste
Cardboard
Liquids
All plastic (bottles, yoghurt
pots, takeaway boxes, etc.)
Crisp and sweet
wrappers
Cans and tins
Polystyrene
Tetrapaks
Paper Cups
Packaging
contaminated with food
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Bywaters Recycling Facility
Click link below for 2 minute video
about where our recycling goes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=HL3ODu9tBxc
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Contact us
Greenwich Campus
Marcin Slomka
Ext. 7715
M.Slomka@gre.ac.uk
Sustainable Development Unit
Emily Mason
Ext. 7942
E.Mason@gre.ac.uk
Simon Goldsmith
S.T.Goldsmith@gre.ac.uk
Ext. 8794