At the University of Sheffield, the amount we recycle increased from 43 % in 2008/9 to 82% in 2009/10 and many buildings have their own agenda for remaining eco-friendly such as the IC’s light sensor system. Sheffield is one of the greenest cities in the UK and after various departments across the University have achieved Bronze and Silver awards in the Green Impact scheme, which runs across UK universities; we are determined to keep up our good name and eco-friendly habits. Here’s what the Psychology department, but probably many more departments, does and how you can help!
Recycling
We’ve all done it. Accidentally thrown away some rubbish into the wrong bin perhaps because we were unsure what bin to throw it in! But fear not, the recycling programme is much easier than you think. There are two recycling bins across the department: one for general waste (white bins) and one for all recycling (blue bins).
- Recyclable materials (paper, card, glass, metal, plastics) are disposed of in the blue recycling bins in the offices and corridors. These items can be mixed together (co-mingled) in these bins and the porters will take them to the bins outside. Broken glass should be contained in a cardboard box or recyclable plastic container to protect cleaners and porters. Cans and other containers for food can be recycled as well, as long as they are rinsed beforehand.
- General waste (non-recyclable) includes used tissues, hand towels, plastic film, polystyrene, food contaminated packaging, food (apple cores, banana skins etc), coffee cups. Kitchen glassware (Pyrex) and laboratory glassware (i.e the neuroscience team) can go in general waste.
See the A-Z of Waste and Recycling for a full list of items and where to bin it..
Both bins along with other general waste are taken to a material recycling facility (MRF) where all waste is sorted into categories such as size and metallic properties
Various machines such as Ballistic separators and Trommels, which the waste passes through- usually on a conveyor belt, complete the sorting and cleaning processes.
Once all the waste is separated, is it crushed and wrapped for transportation where it serves a new purpose. Paper turns back into new paper and magazines, aluminium cans become aluminium sheets and cardboard is pulped and forms new cardboard boxes
Printing
Across the department and University, various measures have been taken to reduce the amount we print and save paper
- Double-sided printing
- Use recycled toner
- Draft mode option available when printing documents
- Guide to proper printing http://cics.dept.shef.ac.uk/uniprint/guidetoprint.pdf
You can do better! Top tips
- Think before you print in any University building: in the first 2 weeks of the academic year over 225,000 sheets were printed in the IC.
- Display documents and powerpoints on computers rather than printing them off
- Create a collection of scrap paper to use
- If you believe that something is missing or have any recycling concerns, email waste@sheffield.ac.uk. to request things such as more paper recycling bins!