With students and staff recycling at least 56% of their waste at the University and recycling a whole array of materials you might be forgiven in thinking….

[thought bubble] Hmmm what can I actually put in the normal domestic rubbish bins? [/thought bubble]

This is obviously a question that has been on the lips of staff and students because I have been getting regular emails about the subject.

We have had the recycling facilities in for more than a year now, staff and students are really keen to recycle as much as possible, so it is only fair to ask the question! But I have to say I struggle to answer it!

There are a few things that we can’t recycle, mainly packaging that is made up of more than one type of material, for example you might get a sandwich wrapper that is made of plastic and cardboard. Or stuff that is contaminated with food such as burger wrappers and snotty tissues

I have drawn up a list of the items we cannot recycle but are struggling to think of any more.

Can you help?!

What we don’t recycle:

Coffee cups made of card

Food contaminated metals (e.g. yogurt pot lids)

Contaminated paper products such as snotty hankies and paper towels

Objects that are made from more than one material, for example some products are made of mix of paper and plastic like sandwich cartons made of paper and cardboard. Or some metal products have a plastic coating. Or pens for example

Polystyrene food packaging

Food wrappers which are contaminated or made from more than one material (sandwiches, sweets, chocolates etc)

Crisp packets (made from combined plastic and foil)

Polystyrene chips

Instruments or tools of more than one material

Stationery of more than one material

Soil and stones

Old style light bulbs

latex packaging

Toys

Spectacles

Drinks cartons such as milk, juice and Tetrapak

ADDED: Plastic pill containers with metal foil pop wrappers (C Gerrard 30/10/09)
ADDED: Broken crockery/mugs/cups/plates etc (E Patterson 30/10/09)

If any one can add to the list of materials we cannot recycle I would love to hear from you!

In fact I will give you a free mug ! Email recycle@ncl.ac.uk with sensible suggestions.

What can you recycle on campus? www.ncl.ac.uk/recycle

daniel Enjoying a cup of tea out of his new mug

We had some good coverage in newslink in the last two editions (recycling and eco campus)

The Courier and in the Newcastle Evening Chronicle have also picked up the recycling article, as well as the national recycling press.

Materials Recycling Weekly: First Class recycling honours for Newcastle University

Letsrecycle.com: Newcastle University boosts recycling rate with SITA UK

Environmental Expert Latest News:

It is great that the University staff and students are being recognised for their recycling efforts.

Dan

We are now able to recycle any metal products in the cans recycling. So that means any metal object that is clean can go in the grey can drawer/container including foil, cake/pie tins, sweet/chocolate tins, staples, old keys etc etc.

Any clean metal object- that can fit in the drawer container!

These changes have come about due to a change in the way our contractor processes their metal materials.

Dan

Newcastle University has just been given a bronze award as part of accreditation in an Environmental Management System (EMS) called ‘Eco-Campus’.

All of the services and activities on campus have an environmental impact.

For example, energy use on campus is associated with carbon emissions and climate change. We also have environmental impacts associated with waste production, travel, purchasing and pollution.

Eco Campus provides a framework for managing our environmental impacts.

We are now working towards our Silver accreditation then Gold and Platinum Awards in successive years.

We will be externally audited at each stage as we progress towards increased environmental sustainability.

These awards will help to distinguish Newcastle University as an institution who is serious and ambitious about reducing environmental impact from our activities.

More information about Eco Campus can be found at http://www.ncl.ac.uk/estates/environment/projects/ecocampus.htm and http://www.ecocampus.co.uk/

We featured in newslink this week as a result of staff and students’ recycling efforts-

Good work everyone! and I really meant it when i said “It is a real pleasure to work with people who are so enthusiastic and proactive about diverting as much waste as possible from landfill.”!

Dan

Hannah Munro has started as Sustainability Support Officer in the team this week.

Hannah will be assisting in all energy and waste activities, as well as administering the Environmental Co ordinator network. Hannah will also be helping with all communication projects such as the website and the forthcoming campaign “Switch off 2010”, which you will hear more about soon.

If you are thinking “I’ve seen that face before”, since graduating from Newcastle University in Environmental Science in 2007 Hannah has worked in the SAgE faculty. Hannah says “I was sorry to leave SAgE behind but is looking forward to getting into the new role and getting involved in new projects and challenges”

Hannah settling into her new role ather desk

Dan

….to a new academic year and a new sustainability team blog!

This blog is about the activities of the Newcastle University sustainability team.

The overall aim is to help raise awareness about sustainability issues and stimulate action on campus.

The blog is another tool that we use to inform people about facilities on campus and the initiatives we are developing to reduce environmental impact.

Although the subject matter is serious, often dry and always emotive we hope this blog will be useful but also be entertaining at times and maybe even funny!

Check out this piccie of the team- engaging content indeed! From left to right you have:

George Chambers: Assistant Energy Manager
Matt Dunlop; Energy Manager
Cara Tabaku; Assistant Energy Manager
Daniel O’Connor; Waste Manager

Ponteland High School
Today I’m hosting a visit from a class of A-Level students from Ponteland High School. I’m dead chuffed because they became interested in what we’re doing by browsing our website. So it is fitting that they are the subject of the first entry on our newest feature – this blog.

I’ll let you know how the visit goes – I’m particularly looking forward to lots of challenging questions!

Matt