The primary role of the waste management section of the Environment Team is to ensure the legal disposal of waste whilst attempting to reduce overall waste by reusing and recycling materials where possible. This will be done by increasing the volumes and types of wastes recycled or reused and implementing schemes such as packaging ‘take-back’. Current recycling rates at the non-residential buildings are around 50%. The picture of recycling at the residences is less clear and as a consequence a waste review of residences is a work objective for the Team this year.
Our objectives and targets on waste are to:
• Achieve 75% recycling (by weight) over the next 10 years, through 5% biannual increases;
• Aim for a 1% decrease in waste figures per capita from 2010/11;
• Complete the first review of waste and recycling at the residences (in 2009/10) with a view to setting targets for waste reduction and recycling on completion.