Recycling and Waste Management

The University has waste collection and recycling facilities around all three campuses. The following waste streams are collected:

  • Paper
  • Dry Mixed Recycling – including cans, card and plastics
  • Glass
  • General Waste
  • Battery
  • WEEE
  • Hazardous wasted – managed within each College as required.
  • Staff and students can also donate unwanted items, such as:
    • Clothing, accessories and household wares – British Heart Foundation collection bins located in the student accommodation villages
    • Stationery and unwanted books – Student Union
    • Food and utility items – Student Union

Page last reviewed in September 2023

You can view a map highlighting specialist and general recycling points on campus here:

» Recycling Map

For those living within Lincoln you can find details about what items can be recycled here.

During term time the University generates around 16.6 tonnes of general waste and 7.78 tonnes of recycling each month with over 290 tonnes produced in 2021/2022, this excludes accommodation generated waste. The general waste generated by the University is taken to a local sorting facility, where readily recyclable items are extracted from the waste stream for recycling. The remaining residual waste is then sent to a local Energy from Waste facility, where it is burnt to generate electricity and heat.

The University is committed to reducing it’s overall waste generation and actively encourages staff to follow the waste hierarchy. It also provides facilities for students, staff and visitors to be able to separate their recycling from waste to dispose of this, all waste and recycling bins have signage detailing what can and can’t be recycled within the bins.

The graph below shows how much waste and recycling the university (excluding accommodation waste) during 2020/2021.

Waste and Recycling Graph 2021 to 2022. Graph shows how much waste and recycling was generated per month in the previous academic year.

This second graph details how much waste and recycling was produced each academic year:

Graph shows how much waste and recycling has been produced each year for the previous 5 years.

 

Download the graphic below to see what you can/can’t recycle on campus, or email estatessupport@lincoln.ac.uk with any waste related questions you may have.

Graphic details what items can be recycled and what is general waste. Recyclable items include clean cans, plastic containers and plastic bottles. As well as paper and card. Anything dirty, food or products containing multiple materials should go in general waste.

Recycling in Student Accommodation

Each university run accommodation has waste collection services. Click on the thumb nails below to find out what you can recycle in your accommodation blocks:

Courts and Cygnet Wharf Waste and Recycling
Courts, Cygnet Wharf  and St Marks Waste and Recycling
Valentine Courts Waste and Recycling
Valentine Courts, 179 High Street, Gateway and Viking House Waste and Recycling

Read the “Lazy Recycling Plan” by student Alex Carlin

 

Battery Recycling

The University of Lincoln now has a range of locations around the Brayford Campus where portable batteries can be collected for recycling.

What do we mean by “portable batteries”? – In terms of batteries that the University can send for recycling we mean household batteries – i.e. AA, AAA, C, D, 6V, 9.5V and button cells from watches and calculators,

There are main battery collection points in the following locations:

  • MHT Entrance Lobby
  • University Library Entrance Lobby
  • Minerva Building Security Office

In addition, there are battery collection side pods on recycling bins in the following locations:

  • Minerva Building: Atrium
  • Joseph Banks Laboratories – JBL0C59 (Corridor to the Ground Floor Social Learning Space)
  • Junxion Seminar Rooms – Entrance Lobby
  • AAD West – Quad Cafe Area
  • David Chiddick Building

What happens to the batteries that we collect for recycling?

The University is registered to the Battery Back Recycling Scheme. Battery Back is a national compliance scheme for the collection and recycling of waste batteries. The European Union Battery Directive requires member states to reach recycling targets for batteries – in 2016 the collection target is for 45% of batteries by weight of sales. For more information see: www.batteryback.org/

Battery Back sends the collected batteries to recycling plants in Belgium run by a company called Revatech. The batteries are then sorted into different chemistry types and are sent into the appropriate recycling process. The recycling facility is able to recover metals (steel, zinc and brass), plastics and the different components of the “black mass” in the batteries (zinc, carbon and manganese). Overall around 55% of the batteries by weight are recycled.

Other Waste Streams

WEEE (electronic waste) – the ICT Department collects waste ICT items, which are then sent for reuse and recycling. Campus Services are responsible for the removal of the larger WEEE items on campus. If you live in our student accommodation residences you can contact the accommodation team to dispose of small WEEE waste items such as hair straighteners or small kitchen appliances you’ve brought with you.

Hazardous Waste – the University is registered as a hazardous waste producer. Hazardous waste is managed locally within each of the colleges, if you have any questions about your waste please talk to your Technicians.