A - Z Waste Guide
This A-Z waste guide has been produced to help you dispose of your waste in a sustainable way, ensure NTU is compliant with all relevant waste legislation, and to help us meet our waste and recycling targets.
A - M
Aerosols
Aerosols should not be placed in any bin or skip. If you have aerosols that requires disposal please put in a request with Facilities to dispose via the Estates Help Desk.
Asbestos
If you believe the item you have contains asbestos, please contact the Sustainability Team for further information.
Batteries
Portable batteries e.g. standard disposable and rechargeable batteries (AA, watch batteries, mobile phone batteries etc) can be recycled in battery bins located in the following locations:
- City Campus - Newton Building by Student Services Desk
- Clifton Campus - Erasmus Darwin Reception
- Brackenhurst Campus - Bramley Reception
- Mansfield - Main Reception area
If battery bins are full please report to the Facilities Team via the Estates Helpdesk
For other battery types (Lithium, Li-ion, Ni-Cad etc), please put in a request with Facilities to dispose via the Estates Help Desk.
Books
If you have any unwanted books and journals that are still in a usable condition post your items on Warp It, an internal reuse portal, to see if any staff across NTU can make use of the item.
NTU works with BHF encouraging students and staff to donate books, clothes, shoes, accessories and CDs in their banks located around NTU.
BHF bank locations:
- City Campus - Burns Road, Tennyson Street, Shakespeare Street.
- Clifton Campus - Peverell Halls of Residence
- Brackenhurst Campus - Brackenhurst Halls of Residences
If you have large quantities of books that can not be donated please contact the Sustainability Team.
Cans
Aluminium and metal drinks cans can be recycled in the internal NTU Mixed Recycling bins. These are found throughout the University in all buildings. Please ensure that cans are empty and clean before recycling.
Cardboard
Cardboard can be recycled in the 'Mixed Recycling' bins.
Clinical Waste
Clinical waste must be stored in locked containers and disposed of via the University's specialist waste contractor, PHS. Sharps bins are located around the university and can be used for small, one-off items such as broken glass, needles, etc. If you have an item that needs to be disposed of in a sharps bin please contact the Sustainability Team for further guidance.
Sanitary and hygiene bins are managed by Cleaning Services. If you have any queries about these bins please contact the Cleaning Services Manager.
Clothing
NTU works with BHF encouraging students to donate clothes, shoes, accessories, books and CDs in their banks located around NTU.
BHF bank locations:
- City Campus - Burns Road, Tennyson Street, Shakespeare Street.
- Clifton Campus - Peverell Halls of Residence
- Brackenhurst Campus - Brackenhurst Halls of Residences
Branded uniforms need to be disposed of as confidential waste.
Coffee Cups (Disposable)
Disposable coffee cups must be put in the General Waste bins. Please consider carrying your own re-usable cup to minimise waste - and get discounts on coffee in NTU and NTSU outlets!
Computer Equipment
All DT related waste should be collected by Digital Technologies for donation or recycling. Please raise an Estates Help Desk Request.
Confidential Waste
Confidential paper is recycled through our sub-contractor Shredall. See NTU Confidential Waste procedure for collection details. Please contact the Sustainability Team for further guidance.
Dog Waste
Dog waste bins are provided along the Clifton Campus nature trail, by the Chaucer Building at City Campus, and along popular walking routes around Brackenhurst campus.
DT Equipment
DT equipment (PCs, laptops, printers etc.) should be collected by Digital Technologies for reuse, donation or recycling. Please put in a request with Facilities to dispose via the Estates Help Desk.
Electronic and Electrical Equipment
Electrical waste must not be disposed of within any of NTU's bins or skips as they are classified as hazardous. If you have Electronic and Electrical Equipment that requires disposal please put in a request with Facilities to dispose via the Estates Help Desk.
Small items (e.g. calculators, battery operated equipment or charging cables) can be disposed on in WEEE bins in the following locations:
- City Campus - Maudslay Yard
- Brackenhurst Campus - Main Hall Waste Compound
- Clifton Campus - Maintenance Yard
All DT related waste should be collected by Digital Technologies.
Food
Food waste collection points are located in the catering outlets and staff kitchens. They can accept raw/cooked meat, vegetables, tea bags, coffee granules, egg shells, bread, dairy, nuts, seeds, wooden stirrers. Please do not put liquid in food waste bins.
Furniture
Warp It helps our staff redistribute their school's or department's unwanted furniture and equipment. It increases resource efficiency, reduces unnecessary procurement and waste disposal costs, and has already achieved savings of more than £300,000.
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.
Gas bottles/canisters
Canisters should be returned to the supplier for reuse or disposed of as Hazardous Waste. Please put in a request with Facilities to dispose via the Estates Help Desk or contact the Sustainability team if you require further advice.
Glass
There are specific glass recycling bins found in the following locations:
- City Campus - Dryden Street (Bonington Building), Shakespeare Villas (Back of Dryden Centre)
- Clifton Campus - NTSU compound
- Brackenhurst Campus - Halls of Residence waste compounds and Main Hall waste compound
Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste is produced in several areas of the University and its safe disposal is the responsibility of of the departments that produce it. Common items include acids and alkaline solutions, oils, batteries, chemicals, solvents, paints and dyes, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, photographic chemicals, TVs monitors and fluorescent tubes.
please put in a request with Facilities to dispose of any hazardous waste via the Estates Help Desk. Contact the Sustainability Team for more information or guidance.
Ink Cartridges
Most printer and toner cartridges can be recycled via Digital Technologies. If DT already change the toner on your printer for you, they will take empty cartridges away with them. There are also drop off points for cartridges from other printers and copiers. These are in the following locations:
- Brackenhurst Campus - Outside DT office.
- City Campus - 64 Terrace Royal Basement DT offices. Either drop off or send via internal mail marked as "Toner Recycling"
- Clifton Campus - New Hall Block DT offices. Either drop off or send via internal mail marked as "Toner Recycling"
No items. Please refer to other sections.
No items. Please refer to other sections.
Laboratory Waste
Most Laboratory waste is treated in the same manner as Hazardous Waste, WEEE or Clinical Waste. Your H&S Coordinators and Lab technicians will have procedures in place for the appropriate disposal of Laboratory waste. Contact the Sustainability Team for more information or guidance.
Light Bulbs
Light bulbs e.g., strip lights, fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent lamps, mercury bulbs etc, are classified as hazardous waste and are covered by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations for safe disposal.
If you have a light bulb that requires disposal please put in a request via the Estates Help Desk.
Metal
If you have scrap metal please contact the Sustainability Team for further assistance.
Mixed Recycling
Find Dry Mixed Recycling bins throughout internal and external areas on campus. You can recycle clean and dry paper and cardboard, plastic tubs, pots and trays, drinks and food cans, plastic bottles and lids.
Mobile phones
Staff Mobiles are managed by the DT team. Please ensure you are returning work phones or raise a request with the DT team if yours is no longer in working order.
N - Z
Newspaper
Please use 'Mixed Recycling' bins.
Oil
A wide variety of waste oils are classed as hazardous waste, including any oil-soaked items (oily rags, oil filters etc). Waste oil and any items contaminated with waste oil must be stored safely and collected separately. Oil must never be disposed of down the drain, nor should any oily rags be disposed of in any of the bins.
If you have any waste oil that requires disposal please put in a request via the Estates Help Desk.
Paint
Paints, varnishes, glues and other substances used for maintenance and upkeep of buildings should not be disposed of into drains, or placed in any bin or skip. Any unwanted paints and varnishes must either be disposed of as Hazardous Waste. If you have paint which requires disposal please put in a request via the Estates Help Desk.
If there are large quantities these may be suitable for donation please contact the Sustainability Team for details.
Paper
NTU's mixed recycling bins accept most types of paper including office paper, windowless envelopes, newspapers and cardboard. We are unable to recycle waxed or laminated paper, food spoiled paper and card and paper/card with metal or plastic fastenings e.g. files with metal strips or polythene padded envelopes.
Please make sure that any metal or plastic fasteners, clips, staples etc. are removed wherever possible as they can damage recycling equipment.
Shredded paper in large amounts also blocks recycling machinery so please follow the confidential waste procedures to dispose of any sensitive paperwork.
Paper Towels
Paper towels should be disposed of in the 'General Waste' bins. NTU source paper towels which are made from recycled paper and this paper has very short fibres which means that it is unsuitable for recycling as it is coming to the end of its life cycle. Consider obtaining a dish rack or tea towels in your staff kitchen to minimise paper towel use.
Plastics
Mixed Recycling bins can accept types of plastics that are suitable for recycling including plastic drinks bottles, plastic milk cartons, yogurt pots, plastic food containers, shampoo bottles, and PVC (e.g. plastic piping).
Plastic with the number 1-6 in the triangle is good to go in Mixed Recycling bins as long as the packaging is clean.
Items that are not accepted are oil containers, those that have held toxic substances, paint containers and bio-degradable containers. Black plastic and soft plastics must be put in the 'general waste' bins.
PPE
Non-Medical PPE must be disposed of in the General Waste bins.
No items. Please refer to other sections.
No items. Please refer to other sections.
Sanitary/Hygienic Waste
NTU provides sanitary waste disposal in bathrooms across the university.
Sharps
Sharps (knives / blades or anything that could pierce a bag) should not be disposed of into regular office bins due to health and safety implications.
Most departments such as Art and Design or Architecture, Design and the Built Environment already have sharps containers for these items. If you are in either of these schools and have sharps to get rid of, please contact your technician.
If you are outside of these schools and have sharps to dispose of then maintenance and cleaning teams also have sharps containers. Please contact Health and Safety for further information.
Stationery
If you have any unwanted stationary that is still in a usable condition post your items on Warp It, an internal reuse portal, to see if any staff across NTU can make use of the item.
Top Tips! Used envelopes are perfect for use as internal mail. Just cross out or cover over the original address and send it on. Create a departmental stationery cupboard to reuse any unwanted items instead of buying new ones.
Soft Plastics
Please be advised that soft plastics cannot be placed in "Dry-Mixed Recycling" bins across NTU campuses. We continue to search for innovative ways to reduce or reuse this waste. In the meantime, your team may be able to set up a localised soft plastics recycling station. Contact the Sustainability Team for more information or guidance.
Textiles
Scrap textiles can be donated to a number of local charities please contact Sustainability team for more details.
Tetra Pak Cartons
Tetra Pak cartons are not accepted in mixed recycling and must be disposed of through 'General Waste' bins.
No items. Please refer to other sections.
No items. Please refer to other sections.
Waste Water
NTU has small volumes letters from Severn Trent Water giving permission to discharge some chemicals to drain in Art and Design, Architecture, Design and the Built Environment and the School of Science and technology buildings. The main items which cannot be put down drains fall into two main categories:
- Items on the prescribed processes and substances list
- Anything flammable i.e. with a flash point above 23°C or 73°F (e.g., solvents)
- Anything with a temperature greater than 43°C at the discharge point
Technicians in these buildings will be aware of the small volumes letters requirements.
Contact the Sustainability Team for more information or guidance.
White Goods (e.g., Fridges/Freezers)
If the item is still in working order please offer it to others via Warp It.
If it is beyond repair and you are replacing it with a new unit, the retailer should offer a take-back service. If this is not possible please put in a request with Facilities to dispose via the Estates Help Desk.
Wood
For large quantities of wood, put in a request with Facilities to dispose via the Estates Help Desk.
No items. Please refer to other sections.
No items. Please refer to other sections.
Do you have a waste related query?
Contact waste@ntu.ac.uk