Recycling at University

On campus

You can recycle card/cardboard food packaging as long as it is free of food and liquid. Empty any food or liquid into the general waste bin first and ensure that bottles and tins are rinsed out thoroughly, before placing food packaging in the recycling bin. Greasy or food-contaminated cardboard plates and packaging can unfortunately not be recycled. You can recycle your waste across both campuses and in all buildings belonging to the university. If in doubt, use the general waste bin. All our general waste is then taken to be incinerated to produce energy to heat our buildings.

The items you can recycle are:

clean plastic bottles
paper (not including paper cups)
cardboard
clean tins and cans

Unfortunately, the university cannot currently recycle:

coffee cups / lids
notebooks with metal ring binding
plastic food containers / wrappers

All unrecyclable items should be put in the general waste bin. It is then taken to Veolia's Energy Recovery Facility where it is incinerated to provide heat (through the district heating network) for buildings around the city, including over half of our University estate. We are a zero waste to landfill University.

In University accommodation

What you can recycle in your accommodation varies with each Halls of Residence. Contact your Halls directly to see what recycling facilities they provide for you.

If you live in private housing, you are responsible for ensuring all your household waste is disposed of and recycled properly. To find out what can be recycled, when your bin is due for collection or even to apply for a new bin visit the Sheffield council website.

If you do not have recycling facilities in your accommodation, the nearest recycling bank to you can be found on the Veolia website.