A - Z guide to recycling and waste 

Aerosols 

• Reduce - seek non-aerosol alternatives and less harmful environmentally-friendly ingredients. 
• Only purchase what is needed. 
• Recycle/disposal - Exeter City Council can bin. 

Batteries (Lithium‐ion/ Li-ion) 

• Reduce - consider how products are powered when making a purchase.
• Recycle - lithium batteries are an environmental hazard and fire risk. Contact the Campus Services Helpdesk to request collection for disposal. Terminals must be taped over by the user prior to their removal.

All Other Batteries (inc Non Lithium-ion – NiCd, Hg, Pb) 

• Reduce - buy only what you need. When buying products powered by these types of batteries – consider alternatives. Hazardous waste is not reusable.
• Recycle - considered as hazardous waste - dispose of via the Labwaste service.

Batteries (regular)

• Reduce - buy only what you need. When buying products powered by these types of batteries – consider alternatives. Replace these single-use batteries with rechargeable batteries wherever possible. Hazardous waste is not reusable.
• Recycle - these are the only type of batteries that should be placed in one of our collection boxes around campus.

Books 

• Reuse - via British Heart Foundation donation points on campus.
• Restore paper consoles - for larger quantities, please obtain Restore bags and arrange collection via the Campus Services Helpdesk.

Bulbs

• Reduce - switch off lights when not in use. 
• Recycle - arrange collection via Campus Services Helpdesk. 

Cables

• Reduce - check with your own department for any surplus cables before buying new.
• Reuse - wherever possible - advertise for reuse via the Warp It platform. 
• Recycle/disposal - for redundant or damaged cables arrange collection via Campus Services Helpdesk. 

Cans

• Reduce - only buy what you need, consider whether the product is available in more sustainable packaging. 
• Recycle/disposal - place empty and clean cans in the internal ‘can recycling’ points. For large quantities use a clear plastic bag and place in external Exeter City Council recycling bins.

Cardboard

• Reduce - consider packaging when ordering items. 
• Recycle/disposal -  remove all non-cardboard packaging (i.e. polystyrene inserts). Place flattened cardboard in external Exeter City Council cardboard bins. 

Cartridges and toners 

• Reduce - advertise for reuse via the Warp It platform for any items that can be reused. 
• Recycle/disposal -  for spent cartridges and toners – use collection boxes. Contact the Campus Services Helpdesk to request a box and collection. 

CDs and DVDs

• Reduce - only purchase what is needed and seek more sustainable alternatives (downloads). 
• Reuse - send to Dr Alice Mills (see contacts) for use in science outreach projects in schools.
• Recycle/disposal - CDs and DVDs containing confidential or sensitive information should be disposed of as confidential waste – see below (Confidential Waste non-paper). Contact the Campus Services Helpdesk for disposal & collection of CDs and DVDs. 

Chemicals

• Reduce - only buy what is needed and consider whether a more environmentally friendly product is available.  
  Please refer to LabCup. 
• Reuse - by another department in the University.
• Recycle/disposal - labwaste service.  Please refer to LabCup.

Clinical waste

• Reduce - only purchase what is needed and consider whether a more environmentally-friendly product/packaging is available to reduce the amount of clinical waste produced. Please refer to LabCup.
• Recover - only dispose of via external (yellow) clinical waste bins. Please refer to LabCup. Bins should be always locked when not in use. 

Clothes and textiles 

• Reduce - only buy what you need. Consider the impact on the environment when purchasing clothes and textiles, including what the product is made from and suppliers.
• Reuse - unbranded (does not contain a University logo) and serviceable textiles via British Heart Foundation collection points or donate using an app or with friends and colleagues.
• Recycle/disposal - branded (with University logo) and non‐serviceable textiles can be recycled. Contact Campus Services Helpdesk to arrange collection. 

Coffee cups (disposable) 

• Reduce - always use a reusable coffee cup. When ‘drinking-in’ always request that your drink is served in crockery. 
• Recover - ‘compostable’ coffee cups cannot be recycled or composted using standard recycling facilities. Dispose of coffee cups as non‐recyclable waste.

Confidential waste (non-paper)

• Reduce - follow the recommendations made in the mandatory Information Governance course regarding storage of information.
• Recycle/disposal - contact Campus Services Helpdesk to arrange collection. Please do not place non‐paper confidential waste in the Restore bins, these are for paper only.

Confidential waste (paper)

• Reduce - follow the recommendations made in the mandatory Information Governance course regarding storage of information. 
• Recycle/disposal - place in a Restore console. For large quantities order a Restore bag by completing a ‘move it’ form online.  
  Prior to collection, please store in a secure location. 

Cool packs

• Reduce - only buy what you need. Consider what the product is made of and the impact on the environment when purchasing. 
• Reuse - offer to others in your department. Advertise for reuse via the Warp It platform.
• Recycle/disposal - labwaste service. 

Electrical Equipment (WEEE)

• Reduce - consider all new purchases carefully ensuring there is a genuine need. Investigate the potential for reuse prior to disposal. 
• Recycle/disposal - complete a disposal form and arrange collection via Campus Services Helpdesk. Prior to collection, please store safely, securely and indoors. 

Food Packaging (mixed material) 

• Reduce - consider packaging when ordering/purchasing items. 
• Recycle clean:
  • plastic food packaging through the plastic waste stream
  • paper packaging through Restore consoles 
• Recover - packaging with a metallic film, e.g. crisp packets, cannot be recycled. Dispose of as non‐recyclable waste. 

Food waste 

• Reduce - only order what you need. Consider the amount that is purchased if there are regular quantities of food waste after events. 
• Recycle/disposal - only food waste from catering kitchens can currently be recycled. Use servery wherever possible. 
• Recover - otherwise, it should be disposed of as non‐recyclable waste.

Fridges and freezers 

• Reduce - is there really a need? Is there a nearby fridge/freezer that you can share? Carefully consider the size of the fridge/freezer required. Always purchase white goods with the best energy rating. Consider repair and reuse prior to disposal. 
• Recycle/disposal - contact Campus Services Helpdesk to arrange collection. Prior to collection, please store safely, securely and indoors.

Furniture 

• Reduce - always check the Warp It platform for alternatives before purchase. Consider the environmental credentials of furniture when buying new. 
• Reuse - advertise on the Warp It platform. 
• Recycle/disposal - if no longer serviceable, complete a disposal form online to arrange a collection. Prior to collection, please store indoors, safely and securely.

Gas Regulators

• Recycle/disposal - complete a disposal form via the Campus Services Helpdesk to arrange collection.

Glass (Non‐Pyrex)

• Reduce/Reuse - plain glass bottles and jars.
• Recycle/disposal - place clean glass in external ECC/Binit glass recycling bins. Do not place Pyrex in the external ECC/Binit glass bins.

Glass (Pyrex) 

• Recycle/disposal - complete a disposal form via the Campus Services Helpdesk to arrange collection. Labwaste Pyrex must not be disposed of in the ECC/Binit glass bins.

Hard Hats (Safety)

• Recycle/Disposal - out of date or damaged hats please mark “Do not use”, store in a clear plastic bag and request collection via Campus Services Helpdesk. Remove the inner lining. No visors or safety glasses may be included. There must be no contamination with oil or tar.

IT Equipment

• Reduce/Reuse - Reuse College/Service (if GDPR allows) or return to Exeter IT for reuse within the wider University.
• Recycle/Disposal - contact Campus Services Helpdesk for disposal and collection. Prior to collection, please store safely, securely and indoors.

Laminated Paper

• Reuse
• Non‐recyclable waste

Lamps and tubes 

• Reuse
• Recycle/Disposal - contact the Campus Services Helpdesk to arrange collection.

Metal

• Reuse/repurpose - prior to disposal.
• Recycle/Disposal - contact Campus Services Helpdesk to arrange collection. Do not take metal. Scrap metal is recycled at Newberry Metals.

Milk Containers (plastic)

• Reuse/repurpose - prior to disposal.
• Recycle/Disposal - rinse and place in internal plastic recycling bins. All plastic milk bottles are recycled in a closed‐loop meaning they become milk bottles again.

Mobile phones

• Reuse - all handsets are owned by the University and should be returned to the University Account Manager (see rear page for contact).
• Recycle/Disposal - please return any broken / damaged handsets to the University account manager who will arrange disposal.

New England Biolabs Box

• Reuse via the supplier’s ‘Take Back’ scheme, label with post return sticker and leave with your department’s daily mail.

Oil (cooking)

• Reduce - ensure that the volume of oil purchased matches the amount needed.
• Recycle/Disposal - waste oil should be disposed of via the approved contact within the Catering team. Cooking oil must never be poured down drains.

Oil (non‐cooking)

• Reduce - ensure that the volume of oil purchased matches the amount needed.
• Recycle/Disposal - non‐edible oil disposed of via Labwaste service.

Padded envelopes

• Reuse internal mail. Send surplus to the Old Library Central Mailroom team.
• Disposal - Waste padded envelopes, such as jiffy and poly‐envelopes, cannot be recycled and must be disposed of as non‐recyclable waste.

Paints and solvents

• Reuse - if paint is of a sufficient quality and quantity for use, please contact the Campus Services Helpdesk to discuss reuse options.
• Disposal - water based paint/empty containers can be disposed of as non‐recyclable waste. Other types should be disposed of via Labwaste. Please make sure that containers are sealed to eliminate the risk of spillage.

Paper

• Reduce and use digital formats. Reuse wherever possible.
• Here are the Paper Recycling Points on campus. 
• Recycle/disposal - paper (including newspapers, magazines and books) can be placed in Restore bins. For large quantities, obtain Restore bags and arrange collection via the Campus Services Helpdesk.

Plastics

• Reduce - think about reusable/more sustainable alternatives to plastic, e.g. use reusable drink bottles/cups.
• Reuse - plastic wherever possible.
• Recycle/disposal - place clean plastics in the plastic recycling bins. Acceptable items are:
  • Drinks bottles
  • Milk containers
  • Cleaning fluids containers  
  • Food tubs and trays
  • Polythene wrap
  • Packaging films
  • Bubble wrap
  • Carrier bags 
• Recover - all other plastics that are not mentioned in the Recycle column should be disposed of as non‐recyclable waste. Some rigid plastics can be recycled if they exist in large amounts and are segregated by type. Please refer these to the Campus Services Helpdesk.

Polystyrene (expanded) 

• Reduce - the amount of expanded polystyrene wherever possible – consider supplier packaging when purchasing items.
• Recover - Dispose of as non‐recyclable waste.

Skips

• Reuse - consider all material before taking it to a skip – could someone else reuse it?
• Recycle/Disposal - ordered from Leese’s/Coastal Recycling directly. Please segregate recyclable waste streams to avoid landfill.
• Recover - all skips must be ordered from Leese’s/Coastal Recycling directly. Please remember that non‐segregated waste will be recovered and possibly landfilled.

Telephone

• Reuse via the Warp It platform.
• Recycle/Disposal - contact Campus Services Helpdesk to arrange collection. Prior to collection, please store safely, securely and indoors.

Vehicles

• Reuse - options for sale and reuse should always be considered prior to end disposal.
• Recycle/Disposal - contact Rob Pitchford (see contacts) for advice if you have a University owned vehicle which is no longer required.

Wood 

• Reuse/repurpose - prior to disposal must not be sold or donated for burning.
• Recycle/Disposal - arrange collection and disposal via Campus Services Helpdesk. This is then taken to EMS to be recycled.