Going green at Leeds

The University of Leeds has embarked on a programme to improve waste management and recycling as a key environmental objective.
In 2003, it cost the university more than £100,000 to dispose of its 1,625 tonnes of waste, of which just 17 per cent was recycled. The target was to exceed best practice in Europe by recycling more than half of all waste.
Individual office waste bins were found to be the barrier to recycling as they were being used for recyclable materials.
In November 2003 new recycling facilities were installed for paper, plastic, cans, and glass each floor of five campus buildings. This was designed around two systems: a voluntary scheme where individual office waste bins remained and one where these were removed.
There were marked differences in individuals’ responses. Where the bins remained people continued to do what they had always done and a very modest increase of only 4 per cent was achieved.
Where the bins were removed a completely different response was achieved. There was a great deal of mutual help and within a week it was up and running. A spectacular increase in recycling from 24 per cent to 62 per cent was achieved in three months.
Leeds’ environmental group adopted the removal of bins for the roll out across campus. £92,000 was spent to purchase 2,500 recycling bins, but savings in waste disposa gave a payback of three years.
Performance in recycling has improved each year – by 40.3 per cent in 2007. Recycling now includes paper, cardboard, cans, plastics, glass, batteries, computers, toners, wood, fluorescent tubes, and metals.
A new waste management contract with Premier Waste will provide two new initiatives:
n 400 bins will be installed to collect food waste for composting.
n All remaining general waste will be recycled at a local facility.
The university’s next target is to increase recycling to 70 per cent within 12 months.