A-Z of Waste

Aerosol waste guidance

Empty aerosol cans cannot be recycled on campus. Please contact the Estate Management Department by email at estateservicecentre@derby.ac.uk if you have large quantities of aerosols to dispose of.

Aluminium cans

Please use the mixed recycling bins.

Aluminium foil

Please use general waste.

Waste batteries

Portable batteries can be taken to the battery collection points in your offices. When these are full you can log a job to Porters on our Estate Service Centre to get it changed.

Bicycles 

Unwanted bikes can be donated to Bike Back Derby. Wherever possible, bikes are recycled and passed on to a new owner; bikes that are past the point of saving are used for parts.

Books 

Older edition text books can be donated to the Library. Books can also be donated to the British Heart Foundation, via the drop off points on campus.

Brochures 

Please use the mixed recycling bins. If a large quantity of brochures are being disposed of, please contact the Estates Service Centre.

Cardboard

Please use the mixed recycling bins. For large amounts of cardboard, flatten any boxes and leave them in the designated area of your building to be collected by cleaning staff.

Carrier bags

Whenever possible reuse carrier bags; why not set up a bag point in your office area? Otherwise, they must go into general waste.

CDs and DVDs

Please use the general waste bins.

Chemicals 

See Hazardous Waste.

Cling film

Please use the general waste bins.

Clinical waste

If a contract is not in place within your School or Faculty, please contact the Estate Management Department by email at estateservicecentre@derby.ac.uk.

Clothes and textiles

Please use the textile banks found at BHF Bring Site. All donations are collected by British Heart Foundation and sold to raise funds for the charity.

Coffee cups (single use)

Single-use coffee cups are not recyclable. Please dispose of these in general waste. Use a reusable cup whenever possible to avoid this waste.

Computer equipment

Redundant computer equipment is collected for recycling by Recycle IT and CDL. This is organised by the IT Department.

Confidential media (papers, audio tapes, video tapes, CDs, DVDs)

Contact the Estate Management Department by email at estateservicecentre@derby.ac.uk. to arrange collection of the media. Please supply a site contact for the collection, where the items are stored, and the number of items to be collected.

Confidential waste

Each College or Department has to pay for their own confidential waste collection. Prices differ depending on whether it is on-site shredding or taken away to be shredded. Until collection, all bags must be kept securely in your own area.

Drink cans

Please use the mixed recycling bins, cans must be empty.

Drink Bottles

Please use the mixed recycling bins, bottles must be empty.

Electrical appliances (excluding computer equipment)

In most cases, you can return old electrical and electronic equipment free of charge by using suppliers’ or manufacturers’ take-back schemes. If you are unable to trace their take-back scheme, contact the Estate Management Department to arrange collection of the equipment.

The University has a Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) skip on-site, please arrange a collection via the Planon system.

Please specify the approximate quantity. It is illegal for the University to send waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) direct to landfill; it should be collected separately to enable reuse and recovery of materials.

Envelopes 

Envelopes can either be reused if in good condition or placed in mixed recycling bins.

Floppy discs

Please use general waste bins.

Fluorescent tubes and lamps

Please arrange a collection of these via Estates Service Centre system, these are classed as Hazardous Waste and precautions must be made for the transportation and storage of these items.

Fridges / freezers 

Please arrange a collection of these Estates Service Centre system, these are classed as Hazardous Waste and precautions must be made for the transportation and storage of these items.

Furniture

Please contact the Estate Management Team to discuss furniture reuse. We often try to send the furniture to local charities, schools, groups. If you know of any such groups please contact the Estate Management Team.

General waste

General waste must be placed in the correctly labelled bins throughout the University. General waste includes sandwich wrappers, crisp packets, chocolate bar wrappers, polystyrene, hard non-recyclable plastic and food waste.

Glass waste

Glass can only be recycled in the specifically labelled glass bins, otherwise, it must be disposed of in general waste. 

Hazardous waste

Waste is generally considered hazardous if it (or the material or substances it contains) are harmful to humans or the environment. Examples of hazardous waste include:

• asbestos
• chemicals, such as brake fluid or print toner
• batteries
• solvents
• pesticides
• oils (except edible ones), such as car oil
• equipment containing ozone depleting substances, like fridges
• hazardous waste containers

There are a number of contracts in place for the correct disposal of hazardous waste. Hazardous waste must be stored correctly before collection. This is managed by the Estate Management department.

For further information and if you have any concerns please contact the Estate Management Department.

Ink cartridges

See printer cartridges

IT equipment

See computer equipment

Magazines and catalogues

Please use the mixed recycling bins.

Metal

The University has a secure skip at the Kedleston Road site, all metal waste/scrap must be stored within this skip. Please log place a ticket with Estates Service Centre to move any metal waste to this site.

Drinks cans can be recycled in mixed recycling bins.

Mobile phones

University mobile phones should be returned to IT.

Newspaper

Please use the mixed recycling bins.

Oil (cooking)

This should be taken off site by the oil supplier. If you are unable to trace the supplier, please contact the Estate Management Department.

Paper

Please use the mixed recycling bins or separate paper recycling bins if available in your area. Please contact the Estate Management Department if there is a large quantity of paper needed to be recycled. Do not overfill bins or bags.

Plastic packaging

Most plastic packaging must be disposed of in general waste bins, apart from plastic drink bottles.

Plastic bags

Consider using reusable shopping bags and avoid the carrier bag charge. Use general waste bins for plastic bags.

Plastic bottles

Consider using reusable water bottles and reduce the need for single-use plastic. Please use the mixed recycling bins to dispose of single-use plastic.

Printer toner

Please bring your empty cartridges to the designated collection points in the Print Room or the Logistics Annex. Email the Print Department at print@derby.ac.uk for more information.

Ring binders

Please try to reuse ring binders either within your own College or Department, they can also be offered to students. If not then please use the general waste bins.

Skips

Any skips which are placed outside of the waste compound must be secure skips. 

Telephone directories 

Please use the mixed recycling bins.

Tetrapacks

Please use the general waste bins.

Toner cartridges 

See Printer cartridges.

White goods 

See Electrical Appliances.

Wood

If there is a large enough quantity, a wood skip can be arranged. Otherwise, wood must be disposed of in the general waste.