Across the University, Departments and Institutions have done a fantastic job to comply with new Simpler Recycling legislation requiring waste to be separated into four distinct streams from 1 April 2025.
It has been a big change and the amount of effort everyone has put in has been exceptional.
At the Cambridge Judge Business School, Facilities Services Manager Kevin How’s first steps were to review and adapt the internal waste set-up, including a review of existing bins. This was followed by engagement with all stakeholders, including cleaners, to ensure successful implementation and ownership of the new system and secure management buy-in.
He has also focused on effectively communicating the changes to staff and students to encourage compliance. New bins are on order to complete the transition from individual office bins to larger four bin stations where waste can be easily sorted into the different streams.
He said, “We didn’t have long to transition to the new system and it has been a challenge but we knew that as it was due to new Government legislation we didn’t have a choice about it. The support and guidance we have had from the Environmental Sustainability and University Facilities teams to help us to adapt has been fantastic.
“I set up a Waste Management Info Hub in the café area to educate staff and students about the new waste management system. This was tailored to show the types of waste that is thrown away in our building and also has information about all the steps we are taking to reduce our carbon emissions and our use of single use plastics. It has generated a lot of interest from staff and students and is something that we will re-use each academic year to educate and inform the new student intake.”
We would like to hear from others about how you’re implementing the new waste system. Please share your successes, ideas and questions on the email address below.
To ensure that we can continue to increase our recycling rates and eliminate the contamination of external bins please:
- Engage directly with your cleaning teams. Have they been informed of the changes and are they emptying waste into the correct external bins? Please speak to them about the new system and the changes that they need to make to ensure that waste is emptied correctly and put in the right external bin. Please do share the website link and email address below if they have any queries or let us know if you would like us to speak to your cleaning teams directly.
- Ensure that paper and cardboard are emptied loose (not in bags) into the external bins, where feasible. Make sure that shredded paper is bagged and placed in the non-recycling bin.
- Dispose of used disposable coffee cups in the non-recycling bins. The new system might also offer an opportunity to encourage the use of reusable cups or mugs in your building.
- Do not change or remove the stickers on the external bins outside your building, if you feel the mix of bins is incorrect, please get in touch.
More information on the Waste and Recycling pages
Contact Facilities.Management@admin.cam.ac.uk