Green Gown Awards 2014 - Facilities and Services - University of Strathclyde - Finalist

Embedding highly segregated waste collections while creating a ‘zero-waste’ culture

The University of Strathclyde Material Resource Strategy achieves 100% diversion from landfill and a 90% recycling rate. The University has eliminated general waste bins and reduced baseline waste mass per FTE by 22%. This step change - led by departments and driven by students - has successfully embedded a ‘zero waste’ culture across the institution.

Strong trans-departmental relationship building has enabled implementation teams which cut across traditional institutional boundaries. The University’s delivery teams include Heads of Departments, cleaners, grounds staff, MSc students, volunteers and staff coordinators collectively working to critically review existing practice and plan new infrastructure. Engineering and Business School students partner with facilities staff to undertake performance reviews, contamination audits and infrastructure planning.

The University has transitioned from a ‘one bin no questions’ approach to waste disposal to proactive source segregation; material disposal is now a thought-process. Its infrastructure investments pay back within three years, critical to sustaining further innovations.

Top 3 learnings

1 Recycling strategy is 10% about bins and 90% about people
2 Our focus on engaging senior staff has allowed individual departments to internalise and take ownership of potentially contentious infrastructure changes
3 Student support is critical; a small investment in paid student engagement leaders has been critical to sustainable success.

Videos

• Embedding highly segregated waste collections while creating a ‘zero-waste’ culture (click to hide)