Waste and recycling
Food recycling
Our main campus catering outlets at Falmouth and Penryn already have food waste collection in place and a project to recycle food waste in Penryn student residences has been so successful it’s being rolled out further. Working with Cornwall Waste Solutions we encourage students on campus to separate food waste, which is sent to an anaerobic digestion plant where it can be turned into electricity, fuel and fertiliser.
Since the addition of the new food waste bins a tonne more food waste has been sent to the anaerobic digestion facilities than the same period the year before. There are now plans to add new food bins to more locations.
Ban the bin
To reduce plastic waste, bins are no longer available in offices on campus. Staff are encouraged to use local recycling points rather than desk bins to preventing thousands of plastic bin liners going to refuse each year and increase waste going to recycling.
During the Covid-19 pandemic the use of reusable face coverings was encouraged but recycling bins were also put in place for users to deposit used single-use face masks.
Community Furniture donations
The working styles of many people at Penryn campus changed during the Covid-19 pandemic and furniture was taken out of rooms to allow for more space and social distancing. Rather than throw away unwanted but good quality furniture, new homes were found for it with local community organisations and schools.