Waste and Recycling

As a large organisation the University can has influence the wider environment, particularly through how and what goods and services we purchase. We also share best practice, expertise and combine knowledge and leadership for embedding sustainable practices through our external networks.

Managing waste responsibly is an important part of the University’s commitment to sustainability. Every day, activities across our sites generate materials that must be carefully managed - from packaging and food waste to office materials and laboratory waste. Our approach focuses on reducing environmental impact by minimising unnecessary waste and ensuring materials are managed as sustainably as possible. By working together with staff, students, and partners, we are continually improving how waste is reduced, reused and managed across the University.

At the heart of our approach is the waste hierarchy, a simple framework that prioritises the most environmentally responsible options:

  1. Prevention - avoiding waste in the first place by reducing unnecessary consumption, choosing durable products and designing processes that use fewer resources.
  2. Reuse - using items again for the same or a new purpose.
  3. Recycling - where materials such as paper, plastics, glass, and metals are processed into new products.

Through increased recycling facilities and awareness initiatives across campus, the University achieved a recycling rate of 56% in 2024–25, continuing a strong upward trend from 51% in 2023–24 and 39% in 2022–23. This progress reflects improved waste segregation, clearer recycling guidance, and growing engagement from the University community.

By prioritising waste prevention, encouraging reuse, and improving recycling, the University community is helping to create a more circular and resource-efficient campus.

Disposing of waste correctly helps keep campus clean, safe, and sustainable for everyone. No area has the same waste system, so understanding waste and recycling at the University and at home can be a useful starting point.

Below is some guidance for the local areas where our sites are based:

Chester

Chester city centre and its surrounding areas are overseen by Cheshire West & Chester Council. They have 5 coloured bins which indicate:

  1. Black bins - general waste that cannot be recycled.
  2. Blue lidded bins - paper and cardboard.
  3. Red lidded bins - Other dry recycling (plastic bottles, glass bottles/jars, foil, empty aerosols, etc.).
  4. Brown food bin - both cooked and uncooked scraps of food.
  5. Green bin (optional) - for garden waste.

 You can find out when your next bin collection is by following the link below:

 Warrington

Warrington centre and its surrounding areas are overseen by Warrington Council. They have 4 different bins which indicate:

  1. Black bin - general waste that cannot be recycled.
  2. Blue bin - for mixed recycling.
  3. Grey food waste caddy - both cooked and uncooked scraps of food.
  4. Green bin (optional) - for garden waste.

You can find out when your next bin collection is by following the link below:

Wirral

Wirral Council oversees its local bin collections. They have 4 different bins which indicate:

  1. Green bin - general waste that cannot be recycled.
  2. Grey bin - for dry mixed recycling (paper, cardboard, glass bottles etc.).
  3. Food caddy (grey) - both cooked and uncooked scraps of food.
  4. Brown bin (optional) - for garden waste.

You can find out when your next bin collection is by following the link below:

Student engagement plays an important role in reducing waste. Each year, the University runs a campaign encouraging students to donate unwanted items when moving out of accommodation rather than throwing them away. Many of these donations are sent to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), supporting both environmental sustainability and charitable causes. In 2025, the University:

  • Redirected 9,000 kg of items from waste streams to the BHF.
  • Donated an estimated £16,995 of pre-loved items to the BHF.

Students have consistently supported the campaign. In 2024-25, 9 tonnes of items were donated, which was an increase from 7.5 tonnes in 2023–24 and 4.1 tonnes in 2022–23.

From 2026, the ‘Moving Out’ campaign has expanded to include the ‘Pass It On’ project. This project sees the collection of unwanted, good-condition items from outgoing students (and staff) to redistribute to incoming students during welcome periods throughout the academic year, including the main September induction. Collection points can be found at our Exton Park, Queen’s Park, Wheeler, Marriss House and Warrington sites.