Keep it Clear

Following the successful trial of using clear bin bags in one of its buildings, Nottingham Trent University (NTU) rolled out the scheme across its campuses. This enables it to replicate the reduced contamination and increased recycling rates seen achieved in the trail.

Project

The Sustainable Development Team, in collaboration with NTU’s Cleaning Services Team, successfully trialled the ‘Keep It Clear’ initiative in the Bonington Art and Design building and, following its success, subsequently rolled it out around the majority of buildings at the university. In lots of areas, building users were segregating waste incorrectly and causing contamination.

By putting clear bags in both general waste and recycling bins, it allowed cleaners to help boost recycling rates by understanding key contaminants and making an informed decision on whether each bag should be put in the external general waste or recycling bins.

For example, a bag might have come from a general waste bin, but the contents are mostly recyclables with very little food contamination. If this was the case, the bag should go into the external recycling bin. Likewise, a bag might have come from a recycling bin but be full of liquid or food waste and need to go into the external general waste bin instead.

Findings

• Using clear bags has improved health and safety by reducing issues with liquid spills and injuries related to hidden items in bins.
• The amount of recycling Enva has been able to recover from the waste has increased by 6%.
• Food contamination has been reduced.
• On-site segregation was 3% higher for August to December than the previous year.
• When compared with the other universities in the East Midlands Universities Waste Consortium (EMUWC), NTU’s on-site segregation rate is 8% higher than the group as a whole.
• The scheme was awarded a Wastecycle ‘Love Recycling’ award in February 2017 to celebrate the hard work and positive outcome.
• Problem areas can be pin-pointed and improved signage and education can be targeted.
• It can be determined what the main contaminants are, for example lots of food waste in a certain area means we can explore the possibility of putting in place more food waste caddies.

Moving forward

The project has helped create much cleaner waste which is exactly what was required. Now the issue of contamination has been improved, the focus can move to engagement and improving the behaviour of the building users so that on-site recycling and segregation rates can also increase.

“Cleaners are empowered to discuss recycling with the staff and students who use the building and to instruct them on how to handle and dispose of their waste properly. They came back with suggestions and key information leading to better segregation through placement of internal bins in strategic locations and food caddies being introduced in key areas” – Rosy Bennet, Environmental Compliance Officer at NTU.