Know how to dispose of your waste properly ♻️

What we do with our waste is really important, and at Queen Mary, what you throw away is not the end of an item's life – it will be recyled, sent for anaerobic digestion, or incinerated, with steam from the incineration process used to produce electricity which is fed back into the National Grid. 

Our aim at Queen Mary is to recycle over 50% of the waste produced by the University, so you have a big part to play in this when you live in halls! 

Putting things in the wrong bin can stop whole loads of waste from being processed properly, so it's important that you know exactly what type of waste goes in which bin. 

Here's a quick reminder. 

Dry Mixed Recycling (green stickers, green liners)

• Cans and tins
• Plastic bottles
• Paper
• Cardboard (make sure any boxes are broken down/folded)
• Glass 
• Rinsed out food containers and trays

Top tip: The easiest way to check if a plastic item is recyclable is to look at the small triangle symbol, symbols with a number - 1, 2, 4 and 5 can all be recycled. 

Food Waste (blue stickers, green liners)

• All food (no packaging), including pastries and sandwiches
• Dairy and eggs
• Tea bags and coffee grounds
• Fish and meat, including bones

Top tip: Use up to two liners if you're worried about splits but make sure these are the 'biodegradable liners' provided by the University (ask at Residences Reception if you need more)

General Waste (black stickers, clear liners)

• Takeaway coffee cups
• Crisp packets
• Sweet packets
• Dirty tissues
• Contaminated food packaging, like oily pizza boxes
• Styrofoam, wooden and compostable stirrers and cutlery

If you're ever unsure, remember to check stickers on the bins or find out more on the University website. Help us help the planet by minimising your waste and disposing of it properly on campus.