Closing the Recycling Loop in University Halls of Residence

1. Closing the Recycling Loopin University Halls of Residence Victoria Hands Environmental & Sustainability Coordinator, London School of Economics London’s University Halls of Residence Recycling Project Founder

2. Outline Background Why halls of residence Reuse - end of term schemes Recycling – win win win scenarios Purchasing • Reuse to reduce purchasing • Buy recycled to close the loop

3. Benefits for Halls of Residence • Potential waste management cost savings • Response to increased student demand for recycling facilities • Empowering residents to be aware • Reducing end of term waste peak • Providing low or no cost items

4. Benefits for Universities • Competitive advantage for attracting students and staff • Contributing to high environmental standards • Demonstrating social responsibility • Backing up academic expertise with everyday practice

5. Benefits for Local Authorities • Meeting government recycling targets • Extending recycling provision • Creating a healthier environment

6. Why Halls of Residence? • High density • Waste audit - 50-70% recyclable • Life change • Contractual obligations • Established communications • Backing up teaching • Habitual behaviour • Vocal active students • Role out across campus!!

7. The Waste Hierarchy REDUCE Halls can reuse & buy recycled content REUSE Halls save on waste disposal & purchasing and extend service provision RECYCLE Halls can access free or low cost recycling LAST OPTION LANDFILL

8. A Practical Approach • Identification of stakeholders • Background research • Initial contact • Interviews / questionnaires / reports • Partnership building & dialogue • Contact sheet & monitoring

9. Key Stakeholders • Local Authorities (recycling officers) • Waste management division • Universities (environmental manager) • Academic • Operational • Students union • Halls of Residence (management) • Cleaners • Students

10. Project Origins Experiences from: • Students • Cleaning staff (including contractors) • Hall management • Universities • Local Authorities • Reuse charities

11. The Waste Paper, issue 68 October 2000

12. Reuse Schemes • Reuse Implementation Plan • (RIP Waste) • Notices • Collection points • Sorting and volunteers • Types of donations • Liaison with charities • Hostels, reuse, London Remade • Cleaning up

14. Reuse Donations • 1 box of cutlery, 1 box of utensils • 3 boxes of plates, 4 boxes of pans • 40 black bin bags of men’s clothing • 10 toasters, 11 kettles • 2 computers, 8 screens • 30 drying racks, 40 dish drainers • 8 computer chairs

16. Reuse Scheme 2005 • 10 halls of residence – 3,748 students • Estimated reuse participated rate: 10% - 300 students • 6 tonnes diverted from landfill – 20 kg per student (textiles, IT equipment, furniture)

17. Textiles 2005: 650kgs from 650 students Estimated 65 participants

18. Recycling • Waste audit • 20% paper/card • 18% compostable • 14% glass • 13% plastic • 4% cans Start of term most effective

20. Design Challenges • Micro kitchens and source separation • Same as other urban MODs • Small on floorspace • Could look good/trendy/cool • Reuse is real use!! • Standard source separation does not respond to the reality of micro living

21. Design Challenges • Design of new halls of residence and greening the campus • Sustainable living • Energy, water, waste • Responsibility and empowerment • Refurbishment of older halls of residence • Often without lifts

22. Action Plan • Recycle • Facilities and collections (external & internal) 2. Reuse • End of term schemes and collaborations 3. Raise Awareness • Communication materials (kitchen posters, student tips leaflet) • Events with users (freshers fayres) and staff training 4. Reduce • Green procurement • Influence student purchasing power

23. Findings

25. Closing the Loop Reuse - end of term schemes Recycling – win win win scenarios Purchasing • Reuse to reduce purchasing • Buy recycled to close the loop • National support??

26. London’s University Halls of Residence Recycling Project www.crispej.org.uk/hallsrecycling Victoria Hands v.e.hands@lse.ac.uk

27. Closing the loop by procuring higher recycled content in paper and construction EAUC Annual Conference - 11 April 2006 Jim Wiltshire - Procurement Project Manager Kara Jones – WRAP Paper Advocate

28. Outline • About WRAP • Materials resource efficiency - why recycled • Using procurement • The opportunities in paper • The opportunities in construction • WRAP assistance

29. WRAP exists to • Create stable and efficient markets for recycled materials and products, and • Remove barriers to waste minimisation re-use and recycling

30. Closing the loop – why specifying recycled is so important Business investment and development Specifying recycled in procurement of goods, works and services Product development Waste segregation, home composting etc. CREATING ECONOMIC VALUE FOR RECOVERED MATERIALS Waste awareness and minimisation

31. Materials resource efficiency

32. Materials resource efficiency cycle Materials efficiency Reduce raw material use Reduce waste Materials with recycled content Reduce landfill Save resources Recycling A two thirds reduction in consumption of fossil fuels and virgin materials is needed to achieve a sustainable and globally equitable level WWF – “One planet living study” - 2004

33. What are we talking about? Reclaimed materials Waste minimisation, segregation & recycling Recycled Content Materials Resource Efficiency Renewables

34. Landfill Tax (1996) ODPM-PPS1 Code for Sustainable Homes Govt. Sustainable Procurement Group OGC-AE11 SBTG Scottish Executive Policy Proposal Scottish Executive Policy Commitment Buying into Sustainable Procurement (WPI) 2003 2004 2005 2006 Increasing thrust of sustainability policy Procurement policy drivers

35. Where do we start ? - major applications to consider • Construction • Estates management • Printed matter • Tissue – catering and hygiene

36. Identifying need Requirement specification Supplier selection Tender evaluation Contract management Key point of intervention Using procurement European Commission handbook on environmental public procurement: “As a contracting authority, you have the right…to demand a minimum percentage of recycled and reused content where possible”. OGC AE11: “The (project) brief should include an outcome-based requirement for overall materials efficiency, such as a minimum requirement for recycled content in the project.”

37. Kara.Jones@wrap.org.uk 11th Apr-06 Recycled content office & publication papersfor your organisationWhy?

38. To cover: • Paper waste context • Why?......... environmental • Why?......... CSR / marketing • Why?......... quality and cost • Product range • How the Advocate Team can help

39. Paper waste in context • UK > 100,000,000T commercial, industrial & municipal waste per year. • UK consumes approx 12,800,000T paper & board • We recycle approx 7,000,000Tpa of paper & board • But…….. More than 5,000,000Tpa still goes into landfill • Landfill over 1,500,000T of paper from offices per year • Less than4% of office / marketing / business papers have any recycled content

40. Landfill / incinerate or recycle ? • Landfill sites are filling up • Landfilled paper produces methane and leakage contributes to global warming • Waste incineration not optimum and a long planning cycle • Landfill or incineration is a waste of a valuable resource • Most LCA’s show recycling is best • We can recycle - economically • Now a legal requirement to reduce landfill = Recycle

41. Your customers are aware.. • National and EU push to increased recycling • Increased recycling and promotion: • Rolling out more kerbside collection • National advertising • Local advertising • Government announcements on environmental issues and sustainability • Increasing central and local government sustainable procurement • Constant press coverage on all things environmental

42. In the media…

43. In the media…

44. In the media…

45. Recycling = “collection” + “buy-recycled” Why buy recycled content paper?......... Your impact

46. The prime “buy-recycled” argument is not about…. savingtrees …is about avoiding…. landfill

47. Why?......... Environmental Landfill, methane production… also: • Recycled paper also typically: • uses less energy in production • creates less VOC’s, • uses less transport miles • has a significantly smaller “environmental footprint” • reduces pressure on forest resources

48. Why?.... CSR / marketing Your customers: • Your “customers” are increasingly being asked to recycle • 50% of the population describe themselves as “committed recyclers” (source NOP tracking survey Mar 2005) • Recycled / recycling is seen as “good”. Opportunity to be associated with a positive feelings such as: • caring • future looking • ethical • doing your bit… • Universities, and other higher education authorities, are seen as exemplars, providing education, values and the future for the next generation

49. Why?.... CSR / marketing Stakeholders / Investors • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) a necessity for high profile organisations • Purchasing recycled materials is a positive action. • >50% of your staff are committed recyclers, positive reinforcement of your organisational values • Supporting government commitment to sustainable procurement • Recycled content paper is: • a “quick” win • A demonstration you are doing something

50. So what is available? • Paper for printed publications • Magazine papers • Envelopes • Copier / printer paper • Tissue papers • Boxes • ………..