On Campus
In the recycling bins with blue lids/labels:
- Paper
- Envelopes
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Cardboard (flattened)
- Paper bound books
- NO glass
- NO paper cups
- NO polystyrene
- NO food
- NO liquid
In the recycling bins with green lids/labels:
- Drinks cans
- Tins
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic cups
- Plastic containers (clean)
- Paper can be put in here
- NO glass
- NO paper cups
- NO food
- NO liquids
In the recycling bins with brown lids/labels:
- Left over food
- Fruit skins and peelings
- Meat and fish (raw or cooked)
- Tea bags
- Coffee grounds
- NO glass
- NO packaging
- NO paper cups
- NO cans/tins
- NO liquids
Please put your paper cups in the dedicated cup recycling collection bins with a pink label; but please remove lids, tea bags and all liquid.
Find out more about Paper Cup Recycling here.
ALL the following items are collected separately for recycling:
Glass - Bottle banks and wheelie bins for collecting glass bottles, jars and glassware (except heat-proof glass such as Pyrex) are located outside buildings across campus. See the Whiteknights campus glass recycling location map and London Road campus glass recycling location map for more details.
Confidential paper - All confidential waste paper should be placed in shredding sacks (or a Datasafe console if you have one). You can request empty sacks by sending an email to waste@reading.ac.uk. To arrange for the collection of full sacks, or the emptying of a Datasafe console, please fill in an online Waste Disposal Request Form. Confidential waste paper is shredded on site by our approved contractor.
Batteries - Regular-sized dry-cell batteries can be sent to the Post Room (Whiteknights House) via internal post for recycling. Contact waste@reading.ac.uk to discuss disposal of large batteries and any batteries containing lead, mercury, nickel-cadmium, lithium.
Electrical items - Please fill in an online Waste Disposal Request Form for non-IT electrical equipment that is owned by the University.
IT equipment & data-holding equipment - Equipment own or leased by the University should be collected via the free-of-charge 'Reuse & Recycle Service' offered by DTS.
Printer cartridges - Boxes to collect cartridges in can be requested by sending an email to waste@reading.ac.uk - they can also be found in the admin areas of Schools and Functions. If a cartridge collection box is full, you can ask for it to be emptied by sending an email to waste@reading.ac.uk
Fridges and freezers - Contact waste@reading.ac.uk to discuss collections. Please DO NOT fill in a Waste Disposal Form.
Wood and metal - Please fill in an online Waste Disposal Request Form.
Mobile phones - Return to DTS for secure disposal.
Fluorescent tubes and light bulbs - Contact waste@reading.ac.uk to discuss collections.
Waste cooking oil - Contact waste@reading.ac.uk to discuss collections.
There's lots more information about other items in the A-to-Z of Waste & Recycling, or contact us for more details.
In Halls of Residence
Halls of Residence are operated by UPP on behalf of the University, so the provision of waste and recycling bins is overseen by UPP staff. Please check your halls handbook for information about waste and recycling, or speak to staff at Halls Reception. When you are ready to move out of halls, there is also useful information in the halls move-out guides, which are available on the same webpage.