Sustainable Waste and Resource Management Strategy
2012
The University of Northampton recognises that its activities impact upon the environment
through its routine internal operations and infrastructural development, and also through its
influence and effects on the wider community. It acknowledges a responsibility for protection of
the environment at all levels, including the prevention and responsible management of waste.
This position is highlighted in its publically-available Environmental Policy, which is the basis for
this strategy.
The University is committed to adopting a sustainable approach to waste management,
complying with all applicable legal requirements, and is committed to continual improvement
and the pursuit of best practice. The University’s Centre for Sustainable Wastes Management is
a UK Centre of Excellence for multi-disciplinary research focusing on issues that are central to
the national, regional and local sustainable development agenda. As such, the University has a
responsibility to demonstrate excellence in the management of its own resources and the waste
it generates.
In its routine internal operations and its infrastructure development the University is seeking to
improve its waste and resource management in efficient, innovative and environmentally sound
ways, to increase resource utilisation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent pollution.
The University currently has an estimated recycling rate of 34% (2010/11). It is committed to
achieving as close as possible to zero waste to landfill by the end of 2014/15 academic year. Its
aspirational goals are to achieve at least an 80% diversion of waste from landfill (by weight) by
January 2013, and at least a 90% diversion of waste from landfill (by weight) by August 2014.
It aims to reduce total waste generated per FTE student by 20% by the end of 2015/16
compared to 2010/11.
In order to achieve these goals, the University is committed to applying the principles of the
Waste Hierarchy1 as shown in the diagram below:
1
DEFRA (2011) Government Review of Waste Policy in England 2011. The revised Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 that
came into force in March 2011 ensure that the UK complies with the revised EU Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC and obliges
organisations to consider the Waste Hierarchy.
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The Waste Hierarchy shows the most environmentally sound option at the top i.e. not
generating waste in the first place, with the least environmentally favourable option, disposal,
at the bottom. The aim of using the Waste Hierarchy is for University staff, students and
contractors to consider making decisions that have outcomes further up the hierarchy, so
moving away from disposal, towards preventing waste in the first place.
In order to put the Waste Hierarchy into practise, the University wants to create a culture
where decisions are considered and choices examined in light of the following priorities:
Order of
consideration
1st
Activity
What should take place:
Prevention
Measures should be taken to eliminate the need for
equipment or materials, or use alternative options
before a substance, material or product needs to
become a waste.
Look for opportunities to use products or components
again within the University, or pass them on to external
organisations for re-use.
Segregate and collect items at source, where feasible,
for reprocessing internally or by external organisations.
Investigate possible on-site reprocessing of organic
materials.
Collecting residual materials for off-site use by
organisations where the waste serves a useful purpose
e.g. energy recovery, use as fuel or for backfilling
operations.
Send to incineration or landfill as the last option.
2nd
Prepare for
Re-use
3rd
Recycling
4th
Other recovery
5th
Disposal
Through waste audits and monitoring, the University has identified the following primary waste
streams for consideration in light of the Waste Hierarchy:




Construction and refurbishment waste;
Household-type waste (from offices, teaching rooms and Halls of Residence) including
plastics, paper, cardboard, metal, glass etc;
Biodegradable waste (from catering outlets, Halls of Residence and grounds);
Confidential waste (paper and media);
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
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Chemical waste (from the School of the Arts, the School of Science & Technology and
grounds maintenance);
Sanitary and low-level clinical waste (from first aid rooms and the School of Health);
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE);
Furniture and other bulky wastes;
Bric-a-Brac (from Halls of Residence when students move out).
The University has identified seven key principles that it proposes to undertake in order to
monitor and manage its waste and resources more effectively:
1. Identify where, what and why waste is being produced;
2. Develop a transparent and accountable system to measure, record & report waste
arisings;
3. Develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and benchmarks;
4. Set targets to reduce waste production;
5. Identify ways of moving up the Waste Hierarchy to improve resource efficiency;
6. Separate different waste streams;
7. Involve staff, students and contractors through awareness raising, training and two-way
dialogue.
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