Waste and Recycling
NTU works closely with its Waste Management Contractor to ensure 99% of non-hazardous waste is diverted from landfill sustainably.
Our mission to reduce waste
NTU aims to minimise the amount of waste we produce and ensure we deal with any unavoidable waste appropriately.
We collaborate closely with our waste management contractors to engage with staff, students and visitors to encourage them to follow the waste hierarchy:
- Avoid – Stop waste from being created in the first place
- Reduce – Avoid using single use items; such as a re-useable cup or water bottle. See the location of water dispensers on campus.
- Reuse – WARPit is an electronic portal NTU use to redistribute and reuse surplus items internally between staff and externally to our partners. WARPit helps increase resource efficiency and reduces unnecessary procurement and waste disposal costs.
- Recycle – the recycling bins across the estate allow for a wide variety of items to be reprocessed including: Mixed Dry Recyclables (paper, card, plastic bottles, tubs and trays, drinks and food cans), food, glass, mobile phones, electrical equipment and batteries).
- Dispose – as a last resort! NTU’s waste is processed and used as a fossil fuel replacement. 99% of NTU’s waste via its main waste contractor is diverted away from landfill.
For a more comprehensive list, see our A-Z Waste Guide.
Our main waste streams
- Cardboard packaging
- Plastic bottles and lids
- Mixed paper
- Coffee cups and lids
- Clean plastic tubs, pots & trays
- Mixed glass bottles and jars
- Clean food and drinks cans.
- Raw/cooked meat
- Vegetables
- Tea bags/coffee granules
- Egg shells and bones
- Bread
- Dairy, nuts, seeds
- Wooden stirrers
- Polystyrene trays
- Crisp packets
- Paper towels and napkins
- Tetra Pak cartons
- Takeaway boxes
- Plastic bags
- Sandwich packaging
Our initiatives
Warp It
Launched in 2018, Warp It helps our staff redistribute their School or department’s unwanted furniture and equipment. It increases resource efficiency, reduces unnecessary procurement and waste disposal costs, and has already achieved savings of £35,150.
To date, our staff have helped to save 17.5 tonnes of CO2 and avoided producing 7.5 tonnes of waste.
If you’re a member of NTU staff, visit our Warp It portal and register now. You can choose to receive either a daily or weekly email showing what's been listed, and thanks to a helpful online guide, it's quick and easy to get started.
What's more, you don't need to be part of NTU to take advantage of Warp It:
- Involved with a local school as a parent, grandparent or governor? Register here
- Part of a local charity or community group? Register here
British Heart Foundation
NTU is proud to be the founding member of the Pack for Good partnership with the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Nottingham City Council and the University of Nottingham.
Following on from the success of NTU’s ‘Big Clear Out’ programme, (asking first year students to donate unwanted items when leaving their Halls of Residence), the BHF were asked to provide recycling banks in the Aboretum area for the collection of clothing, books and general bric a brac. Student volunteers also distributed kerbside collection bags to student houses in the area to maximise the amount of material collected for reuse.
Following on from its initial success, the programme expanded to include other NTU campuses and to include The University of Nottingham. Not only has the project helped to divert more than 60,000 bags of unwanted items from landfill, NTU have also raised more than £800,000 for BHF. The success of this project won us a 2019 ‘Heart Hero Award’.
This has helped the BHF to invest in:
- 4 Heart Start Schemes – teaching lifesaving skills in the local community and schools
- 133 Defibrillators installed
- 18 Establishments CPR trained
- 2 BHF retail shops
- 52 Research Grants
Waste off campus
Living outside of the NTU campuses means your waste will be collected by one of a range of different contractors. However, there are several rules of thumb to sorting your waste that should be followed by all households.
- Know your bin day and what bin is meant to be put out (link to council website found below where you can sign up for reminders and print off a bin calendar).
- Bins can go out onto the street 4pm the day before bin day and need to be off the street by 8am the morning after
- New bins on street enforcement has started this week, if bins are left out on the street are residents are not compliment after letters and warnings you could be liable for a fixed penalty notice under section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
- Know what can and cannot be recycled (black bin bags, plastic bags and pizza boxes)
- If this waste is found in your bin, the bin staff will refuse to take the waste as it is considered as contaminated.
- Any issues or queries can usually be answered on the city council website, otherwise please get into contact with your landlord or ourselves at Communityliasion@ntu.ac.uk.
Sorting your General Waste | Sorting your Recycling |
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If you are unable to manage your waste, please contact your managing agent or landlord for assistance. This includes if you have broken bins / bins with missing lids. | |
USEFUL INFORMATION
Know your bin day and bring your bin back in to avoid being fined. View and print your bin calendar here: https://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/bin-and-rubbish-collections/check-my-bin-collection-day/
Recycle properly. Learn what can and cannot be recycled. Recycling will result in more manageable volumes of general waste. https://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/recycleitright
Cutting down on water waste is an important part of reducing our environmental impacts. View our Water Management Plan to learn more about NTU's work in this area.
Reporting leaks
If you are an NTU Student or visitor please contact NTU Security if you spot any leaks.
Get in touch
If you need additional recycling bins in your department or have an enquiry about waste or recycling please email the Sustainability Team.