Welcome to the University of Reading's Resource Use, Recycling and Waste pages. We aim to be an efficient user of resources and prevent waste being created in the first place; and then to reduce, re-use, recycle and recover items and materials. We want to enable everyone in the University to help minimise our impact on the environment.
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United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)
LET'S GET IT SORTED...
Did you know that only 1% by weight of the University's day-to-day operational waste goes to landfill? Certain types of materials, such as asbestos, have to be sent to specialist landfill facilities, but 99% doesn't go to landfill. Over 62% of our waste is sent for recycling (including repair, re-use, anaerobic digestion & composting). Most of our non-recyclable waste is sent to an Energy from Waste plant where it is burnt to generate heat and electricity, which is then passed into the national grid. Find out more about how items are treated after on-site collection.
We’ve taken great steps to reduce our generation of waste through initiatives like Frank the Barista (an innovative Coffee scheme offering significant discounts to those using a University reusable cup), the Warp-It re-use portal for furniture, and through improved recycling facilities and communications. Total operational waste produced in 2023/24 academic year was 42.8kg per person, compared to our 2015/16 baseline of 61.9kg per person, representing a 31% reduction.
View or download our Waste and Recycling Bin Guide that relates to bins inside most University buildings (except accommodation, labs and catering locations). Information about waste and recycling in University accommodation can be found in the Halls Handbook A-Z. Waste management in labs is overseen by Technical Services. Waste management in catering locations is overseen by University Catering.
If you can't find what you are looking for within the links above, please contact the waste team via waste@reading.ac.uk
WASTE MANAGEMENT TARGETS
The University's Waste and Resource Use Strategy 2021-30 was approved by the Environmental Sustainability Committee in June 2021, and was updated in October 2024. This Strategy, covering the period up to 2030, is focused on responsible resource use and sustainable waste management, acknowledging the global, national and local drivers for improving the University’s environmental performance. We must aim to increase resource efficiency by doing more and better with less; to move away from the inefficient linear model of ‘take, make, use, throw’ towards a circular economy; to prevent waste being generated in the first place; to fulfil our legal obligations and align with the Waste Hierarchy; and to promote new opportunities and initiatives across the University.
The Strategy sets out the principle that three, 3-year Delivery Plans would be created in order to enact the Strategy from 2021 to 2030, and to monitor progress against its objectives and targets. An initial 3-year Delivery Plan covering 2021 to 2024 was written in 2022, which concluded in October 2024 with 57 Delivery Actions having been implemented (out of a total of 66). The nine in-progress or yet-to-be-commenced Actions were carried forward to the second 3-year Delivery Plan (2024-27), which was written and was approved by the Environmental Sustainability Committee in October 2024. This new Delivery Plan contains 24 Delivery Actions, which are grouped across various categories, such as Innovation, Health & Safety / Duty of Care, Communication, and Circular Engagement. A further 3-year Delivery Plan will be written in 2027.
Headline targets set in the Strategy for 2023/24 have been achieved:
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- To reduce total day-to-day operational waste produced per person (full time equivalent student and staff members) from the 2018/19 level of 50.9kg; with 42.8kg generated per person in 2023/24.
- To increase the amount of items re-used, re-manufactured and repaired from the 2018/19 level of 11 tonnes; with 28.6 tonnes processed in 2023/24.
- To increase the University’s annual recycling rate* for operational waste (by weight, including repair, reuse, anaerobic digestion & composting) above 60%; with the 2023/24 rate being 62%.
- To reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill to less than 1%; with over 99% of the University’s operational waste diverted from landfill in 2023/24.
New headline targets were set in 2024 as the basis for continual improvement up to 2027:
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- Continue to reduce total waste produced per capita (staff and student FTE) year-on-year from the 2022/23 level of 43.1kg.
- Increase re-use, remanufacture and repair year-on-year from the 2022/23 level of 22.1t.
- By 2027, increase the University’s annual recycling rate* to a minimum of 65% by weight and then maintain above this level for the duration of the Strategy.
- Continue to send less than 1% by weight of waste to landfill and then maintain below this level for the duration of the Strategy.
- Develop the University’s procurement practices to enable further circular economy approaches to be implemented by 2027.
*The University’s recycling rate for day-to-day operational waste includes materials sent for repair, re-use, recycling, anaerobic digestion & composting.
Progress against the Strategy targets is shown in the University's Environmental Sustainability Report for 2021/22, Environmental Sustainability Report for 2022/23 and Environmental Sustainability Report for 2023/24.