Sussex Estates and Facilities

Recycling A-Z for staff members

Recycling is a good way to ensure that the materials in the item can be used again to make something new. Creating new items from recycled material means less energy and resources are used than if it was made from raw material.

You can only recycle these types of materials on campus:

In the bin labelled 'Mixed Recycling'

  • Plastic bottles
  • Cardboard and paper
  • Drink cans and food tins, and aerosols

In the bin labelled 'Mixed Glass'

  • Glass bottles and jars

These should all be separated from your general waste – the same applies if you’re living in Brighton and Hove.

Sometimes people try to be sustainable by putting certain items in with the recycling. But this contaminates the recycling, and means the whole bin of recyclable material may not be recycled. If in doubt, leave it out!

For some materials, you can recycle them in other ways here on campus – take a look below. If you’re living in the city, you might want to refer to this A-Z of recycling from the city council.

Remember that it’s better to reuse than recycle, so check out these organisations if you have items to give away:

You can also use food sharing apps Olio and TooGoodToGo to pick up cheap, or even free, food to stop it going to waste.

Aerosols

Cans containing aerosols, such as deodorant.

Recyclable? Yes

Hazardous? Yes

Aerosol cans are designed to contain liquid or gas, packed under pressure with a propellant. These should not go into general waste: full or partially filled cans could explode if exposed to heat or punctured, for example, as a result of compacting in a waste vehicle or compactor.

Aerosols should not be pierced or squashed before disposal.

Process for recycling

  • For completely empty cans, remove the nozzle and place it in general waste, and then place the container in the mixed recycling bin.
  • For partially or completely full cans, see if someone else wants to use it instead. Don’t throw a half-full can into the general waste bin.
Batteries

There are various types, but batteries must not be placed in the general waste bin or your recycling bins. Different battery types require disposal via different means.

Lithium, lithium-ion, and alkaline

Recyclable? Yes

Process for recycling

  • Place individual batteries in your nearest battery recycling box.

Nickel cadmium, mercury and lead-acid, and rechargeable

Recyclable? Yes

Hazardous? Yes

Process for recycling

  • Please contact the Service Centre if you have batteries to be disposed of, including type and quantity of each, and store safely until collection.
Books and Journals

Paper books and journals.

Recyclable? Yes (journals only)

Reusable? Yes

Process for reuse

  • Consider giving books to charity and donating them in a British Heart Foundation Bank (you can find one at Northfield).
  • You can also check with your school office to see if there is a reuse shelf for journals and books.

Process for recycling

  • Magazines and journals can be put in with paper and card in the mixed recycling bin.
Cans

Metal cans, used for food and drink - usually aluminium or steel.

Recyclable? Yes

Ensure cans are empty and clean before putting into the mixed recycling bin.

Cigarette Butts

Smoking cigarettes or vaping (using electronic cigarettes) is not permitted inside our buildings.

Please make sure your cigarette is completely out before putting it in the waste bin; there are a number of ashtrays around the campus.

Cleaning Products

Domestic cleaning products cannot be poured down the drain or thrown in the general waste bin. Empty bottles can be recycled.

Recyclable? Yes

Hazardous? Yes

Process for recycling

  • For empty bottles, rinse the bottle and recycle it in with your plastic bottles as usual. You can keep the spray nozzles on when recycling.
  • For partially or completely full bottles, see if someone else wants to use it instead. These cannot be thrown in the bin so please contact the Service Centre to arrange disposal.
Coffee Cups

Disposable cups.

Recyclable? No

We have a returnable cup scheme in some of our campus cafes, and you can save money by joining the scheme. We hope to be able to recycle disposable coffee cups in the future.

Confidential Waste

Recyclable? Yes

For more information, contact the Service Centre or ask your school office.

Crisp Packets

Generic crisp packets, recyclable for most brands.

Recyclable? No

We can’t recycle crisp packets on campus at the moment; please put in the general waste bins.

Electrical items

This includes everything with a wire, plug or battery.

Recyclable? Yes

Reusable? Possibly

Hazardous? Possibly

Process for reuse

  • Local not-for-profit organisation Tech-Takeback can collect laptops and desktop computers to be checked, refurbished or upgraded to be distributed to members of the community who don’t have access to tech.

Process for recycling

  • All end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment must be collected via our licensed contractor – please don’t put it in the bin. If your item is not reusable, contact the Service Centre.
Foil

Foil e.g. aluminium, tin, kitchen foil.

Recyclable? No

Clean it and reuse it where you can. If that’s not possible, place aluminium foil into the general waste bin.

Food Waste

All food waste goes in the general waste bin here on campus and in Brighton and Hove. There are some compostable litter bins around campus, and we hope to be able to expand our food composting options in the future.

Food Packaging

Not all types of take away food packaging are recyclable: the material itself may not be recyclable, or paper and card which is recyclable may be contaminated with food/drink residues.

Recyclable? Possibly

Rinsed out milk bottles, empty drinks bottles, rinsed cans (food or drink), cardboard (corrugated, cereal boxes, non-plastic coated packaging) can be recycled.

Disposable hot drink cups can be recycled in specific recycling bins (please refer to the Disposable Coffee Cup section).

Salad trays, margarine and yoghurt pots, plastic coated cardboard (e.g. noodle containers), crisp packets, sweet wrappers, polystyrene, aluminium foil, and sandwich boxes cannot be recycled.

Reusable? Possibly

Ensure cans are empty and clean before recycling.

Process for recycling

  • If there is food residue or drink remaining which cannot be rinsed out, or packaging is non-recyclable place in General Waste bin.
  • If packaging is clean and recyclable place in Dry Mixed Recycling bin.
Furniture

All furniture owned by the school or individual that is no longer required.

Recyclable? Yes

Reusable? Yes

Process for reuse

The British Heart Foundation and Emmaus often collect furniture for free, or you can try Freegle.

Process for recycling

If the furniture is not reusable, contact the Service Centre for it to be collected and recycled.

Glass

Not all glass is recyclable. Drinking glasses, window panes, and Pyrex are not recyclable as they are made from a toughened glass which contains a different mix of chemicals, meaning they have a different melting point to glass bottles and jars.

Recyclable? Possibly

Empty recyclable clear, brown and green glass bottle and jars are recyclable.

Pyrex, water jugs, drinking glasses, and ceramic items (e.g. plates, mugs) are not recyclable.

Reusable? Possibly

Process for recycling

Remove lid, empty contents, rinse container and place in your nearest glass bin.

Process for disposal

If items are broken or otherwise not reusable, box securely and place box in external General Waste bin.

Paint, Varnish, and Glue

Paint, varnish and glue including bituminous based substances, and other substances used in the maintenance and upkeep of buildings and roofs.

Reusable? Possibly

Hazardous? Possibly

Process for disposal

Substances must never be disposed of in a drain, bins, or skips. Contact the Service Centre to arrange a collection.

Paper

Paper and cardboard items, such as office paper, packaging, boxes, birthday cards and similar.

Reusable? Yes

Recyclable? Possibly

What you can recycle: cardboard (corrugated, cereal boxes, non-plastic coated packaging), paper (newspapers, office paper, magazines, sticky notes), envelopes (including window envelopes), newspapers, paperback books, catalogues and journals. Please put these in your mixed recycling bin.

What you can’t recycle: disposable hot drinks cups, plastic-coated cardboard, paper towels, glitter cards or wrapping paper, padded envelopes, and sandwich boxes – please put them in the general waste bin.

Paper Towels

Paper towels must be placed in General Waste bin. They are not recyclable as they are generally made from recycled paper, and the paper fibres get shorter with each reuse, meaning they are too short to be recycled again.

Recyclable? No

Hazardous? Yes

Place paper towels in General Waste.

Plastic

Various plastic items.

Reusable? Yes

Recyclable? Possibly

Empty plastic drinks and milk bottles, plastic detergent and cleaning fluid bottles, plastic shampoo, conditioner and shower gel bottles, plastic spray bottles (spray tops removed) and all other plastic bottles are recyclable.

Bubble wrap, yoghurt pots, plastic trays, polystyrene, plastics bags and film, other plastic items and lids, crisp packets (see crisp packet), sweet wrappers, hard and rigid plastics (e.g. window frames, pipes, drums or other non-bulky compactable plastic items), containers with food residues and bioplastics are not recyclable.

Process for reuse

Packing material is often made of plastic, and can often be reused.

Process for recycling

If the item is plastic and and bottle-shaped, place it in the Dry Mixed Recycling bin. If not, place in General Waste.

Polystyrene

Polystyrene comes in various forms - beans, moulded, sheets, balls, etc. Polystyrene packaging is not recyclable but can be reused for packaging.

Reusable? Yes

Recyclable? No

Hazardous? No

Place polystyrene in General Waste. If you have a large collection, please contact the Service Centre.

Printer Cartridges

Used or broken printer cartridges.

Recyclable? Yes

Process for recycling

  • Seal individual waste cartridge in plastic bag, free of any cardboard or plastic packaging
  • Store safely and contact the Service Centre.
Stationery

Printouts, paper, pens, files, folders and any other items of surplus stationery.

Reusable? Possibly

Recyclable? Possibly

Process for reuse

Consider giving items to charity, or ask in your school office if there is a way to share clean paper or stationery items like pens.

Process for recycling

Items that are made from one material, like thin cardboard wallet folders, can be recycled in with paper and card.

Items made from several materials, like ring binders or lever-arch folders, have to go into the general waste bin.

TetraPak (Food and Drink Cartons)

Food and drink cartons which have a foil interior and paper exterior, bound by plastic.

Recyclable? No

Process for recycling

  • Please dispose of TetraPak in general waste.
  • We are currently working to install a new TetraPak recycling point on campus, and will update this page once it is available. 
Vapes

Finished with your vape? Don’t throw it away. Vapes contain hidden batteries that can cause fires when put in rubbish, recycling or litter bins.

Reusable? Possibly

Recyclable? Yes

Process for reuse

Choose reusable or refillable instead of disposable vapes.

Process for recycling

Vapes can be recycled by returning them to retailers. Or you can take them to the dedicated vape recycling bins outside of the Falmer House reception, and in the Co-op and in the Student Centre.

Laboratory Waste

Due to the specialist and potentially hazardous nature of many types of laboratory waste, specific processes must be followed for disposal.

Disposal routes of all chemicals, biological and other hazardous material used in projects and research work must be detailed in any risk assessment or COSHH hazard assessment.

All laboratories have local technical supervisors who will be able to advise of specific processes as needed.

Specific information around potentially hazard lab waste is available via Health & Safety.

General Waste

Non-hazardous laboratory waste can be disposed of in black bags and disposed of in the external General Waste containers. Remove all hazard labels before disposal.

If you are in doubt as to the hazards associated with an item or the suitability of its containment, you should leave it in place and contact technical services, or your local health and safety coordinator.

Hazardous materials must not be disposed of in normal bins or via sinks.

Hypodermic needles should be disposed of directly into a sharps container.

If unsure of safe disposal routes, contact your technical supervisor for advice.

Chemical and Biological Waste

Hazardous waste (chemical and biological) must be disposed of after consulting with Local Safety Coordinators and ensuring appropriate risk assessments covering the disposal of these substances are available.

For more information, please contact the Science Health and Safety team by visiting their webpage (you’ll need to log in to view this) or emailing safetyscienceschools@sussex.ac.uk

Glassware

Laboratory glass is disposed of in heavy duty plastic bags encased in waste glass boxes, available from stores.

Contaminated broken glass should be disposed of as contaminated sharps.

Sharps

Sharps (contaminated and uncontaminated) are disposed of in sharps containers, available from Life Sciences stores, via large yellow clinical waste bins. Individual bins are dedicated to sharps containers: do not mix with yellow bags.

Hypodermic needles should be disposed of directly into a sharps container.