{"id":50,"date":"2017-01-26T13:59:08","date_gmt":"2017-01-26T13:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/uor-research.azurewebsites.net\/sustainability\/?page_id=50"},"modified":"2025-11-18T11:33:38","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T11:33:38","slug":"recycling","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.reading.ac.uk\/sustainability\/recycling\/","title":{"rendered":"Resource Use, Recycling and Waste"},"content":{"rendered":"
Sustainability <\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWelcome 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. \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Link to information about our progress towards UN SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production<\/span><\/p>\n

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The University\u2019s Environment and Energy Policy (issued in June 2025)<\/a>\u00a0includes an overarching commitment to \"ensure our waste is carefully managed to minimise the impact on the environment<\/strong> and ensure, as a minimum, statutory obligations are met\" and to \"promote and facilitate waste segregation and encourage the consideration of the waste hierarchy (reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, dispose); diverting waste away from landfill where possible\" (see sections 14-16). It also includes a commitment to \"promote sustainable resource management practices and support the purchase of products and services that support our environmental sustainability goals; and to ensure that sustainability and responsible procurement is an embedded part of the University\u2019s end to end procurement process\" (see sections 26-27). This is the basis of our waste disposal landfill policy and planning.<\/p>\n

To deliver those Policy commitments, we have a proactive Waste & Resource Use Strategy 2021-30 (updated and re-issued in October 2024)<\/a>\u00a0that includes our targets, objectives and plans for improving our waste disposal processes<\/strong>, increasing recycling rates, reducing waste sent to landfill, and setting out how we target the use minimisation of disposable items such as single-use plastics. The Strategy gives details of how we measure the amount of waste sent to landfill and recycled (see pages 5-6). Waste management data is published annually in our publicly available Environmental Sustainability Report<\/a> (see section 8), and through the HESA Estates Management Record<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

All of the University's hospitality, catering, events and food services are managed by an internal department<\/a> - we do not directly outsource any of these - so we control our activities and supply chain in accordance with the Waste & Resource Strategy and the Sustainable Food Policy & Framework<\/a><\/strong>, which includes tackling food waste and imposing a disposable cup tax<\/a> to reduce single-use items. Our Procurement Policy<\/a> sets out sustainability considerations that are integral to all purchasing decisions and extend to outsourced services and the supply chain, including \"engaging suppliers to commit to the University's Supplier Code of Conduct<\/a> and Sustainability Policies\" and \"promoting sustainability improvements throughout the supply chain \" (see appendix 5).<\/strong> Our Responsible Procurement Goals<\/a> include a focus on calculating scope 3 emissions, improving circular economy practices, and increasing social value. The Supplier Code of Conduct<\/a> includes social, environmental and ethical compliance requirements.\n<\/div><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/6beqOhb9H7M<\/a><\/video><\/div><\/div>
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To view this video with captions, please watch it on our YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLet's Reuse More!\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat Can I Recycle?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDisposal Request, Skips and More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHazardous Waste\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tA-to-Z of Waste & Recycling\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPolicies and Procedures\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tReport a Waste Issue\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhere Does Our Waste Go?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

LET'S GET IT SORTED...<\/h3>\n
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Did you know that only 1% by weight of the University's day-to-day operational waste goes to landfill?<\/strong> Certain types of materials, such as asbestos, have to be sent to specialist landfill facilities, but 99% doesn't go to landfill. Over 63% of our waste is sent for recycling<\/strong> (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.<\/a><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve taken proactive steps to reduce our generation of waste through initiatives like our Disposal Cup Tax<\/a> (offering a significant discount to those using a reusable cup), the Warp-It re-use portal<\/a> for furniture, and through improved recycling facilities<\/a> and communications. Total operational waste produced in 2024\/25 academic year was 39.1kg per person, compared to our 2015\/16 baseline of 61.9kg per person, representing a 36.8% reduction in ten years<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

View or download our Waste and Recycling Bin Guide<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0that 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<\/a>. Waste management in labs is overseen by Technical Services<\/a>. Waste management in catering locations is overseen by University Catering<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you can't find what you are looking for within the links above, please contact the waste team via waste@reading.ac.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

WASTE MANAGEMENT TARGETS<\/h3>\n
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The University's Waste and Resource Use Strategy 2021-30<\/strong><\/a> 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\u2019s 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 \u2018take, make, use, throw\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/strong> 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)<\/strong><\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n

New headline targets that were set in 2024 in the updated Strategy have been achieved for 2024\/25 as follows:<\/p>\n

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