Food waste recycling

Food waste recycling Good news, we are rolling-out food waste recycling bins during 2025! You can recycle food waste in special food waste recycling bins around campus buildings.  Please look for the dedicated food waste recycling points in and near cafés, catering outlets, and key locations such as foyers, kitchenettes and common areas (there is a list of current locations below so you can find your closest bin). Food waste recycling bins have green labels.  Please don't put packaging in the food waste recycling bins - this should be put in general waste. What can be put in the food…
Read More

Where Does Our Waste Go?

To view this video with captions, please view on our YouTube channel by following this link. This page provides information on how our waste is managed, who manages it and where it goes. - For more information on what you can recycle or how to handle your waste, consult the Waste and Recycling A-Z. - For any clarification or further information do not hesitate to contact waste@reading.ac.uk. Dry Mixed Recycling - cans, plastic bottles, tins, paper etc. Once dry mixed recycling is placed in the recycling bins it is collected by the cleaners and porters and then placed in various wheelie bins…
Read More

Paper cup recycling, and re-useable cups

Paper cup recycling Good news! You can recycle disposable paper coffee cups in special cups bins around the campus.  Please look for the dedicated cup recycling points in and near cafés, catering outlets, and key locations such as foyers and seating areas (there is a list of locations below so you can find your closest bin). These recycling bins predominantly have pink labels (see above), with a few that have blue labels (see left) - we hope to update the blue labelled bins in due course.  Please do not put paper cups in the green recycling bins - they must be…
Read More

New drinks machines provide free water and cut plastic waste

University students and staff will help stop more than half a million plastic bottles being thrown away every year with the introduction of new drinks machines around campus. The University of Reading is becoming the first university in the UK to introduce new vending machines designed to provide healthier drink choices and cut the volume of plastic waste on campus. Around 650,000 plastic bottled drinks are used across the University’s Whiteknights and London Road campuses each year. To reduce the volume of plastic used on campus, the University is this week launching the Sustain It bottle – a reusable bottle that uses…
Read More

What can I recycle?

In the recycling bins with blue lids/labels: Paper Newspapers Magazines Cardboard (flattened) Envelopes NO paper cups NO plastics NO polystyrene NO hardback books NO glass NO food & liquid In the recycling bins with green lids/labels: Drinks cans (empty) Tins (empty) Plastic bottles (empty) Plastic cups (empty) Plastic containers (clean) Paper & Card NO paper cups NO glass NO polystyrene NO food NO liquids More details about plastic types (external website) In the recycling bins for Food Waste: Leftover food Fruit skins and peelings Meat and fish (raw or cooked) Tea bags Coffee grounds NO packaging NO paper cups NO glass…
Read More