Recycling and Waste Management

In line with the University's Sustainable Development Policy, York Conferences aims to minimise the amount of waste we send to landfill whilst balancing customer demand for convenience packaging and disposables for food and beverages 'on the go'.
As part of commercial services within the University, we work alongside the other departments to ensure this.
Costcutter on site
• Cardboard and plastic outer packaging from deliveries accounts for the majority of waste generated by our stores. These are separated, saved, compacted and recycled.

All our bars
• All glass bottles are separated from other waste and recycled as part of the University's glass recycling scheme.
• Cardboard and plastic outer packaging waste is recycled.
• As far as reasonably practicable, we aim to minimise the use of disposable glasses for the service of drinks. However, for safety reasons and in line with risk assessments, disposable glasses are used for student events to minimise the risk of cuts and injuries from glass.

All our catering outlets
• Glass, cans, cardboard and plastic packaging generated from production kitchen activities is separated and recycled as part of the University's recycling scheme.
• Working in conjunction with the Student Union's Environment Officers, we are supporting the Lug a Mug initiative that will be introduced for autumn term 2007.
• Hot beverages - To meet customer needs and demands we offer a choice of mugs for drinking in and disposable cups for takeaway service. In outlets with no dishwashing facilities (typically Café Barista) we have no option but to serve hot beverages in disposable cups although we are looking into introducing an initiative whereby customers who are based in the building may be able to purchase hot beverages from us using their own mugs.
We have carefully selected the disposable cup used in our catering outlets. The cup has excellent thermal properties, which negates the need for customers to either take 2 cups / additional serviettes to prevent heat transfer. The cup has a 90% paper content, no graphics or branding (i.e. no ink content) which means that the speed of degradation in landfill is higher than foam or plastic disposables.

These Waste Management Procedures form part of the Universities Environmental Management Policy prepared in accordance with ISO 14001.
Environmental Management best practice requires that the University applies strategies that cause the least impact to the environment. The application of the waste management hierarchy identifies best practice as waste prevention, re-use, recycling and finally disposal as a last resort.

Waste minimisation includes-
• Product substitution
• Process modification
• Reclamation
• Redistribution
Initial waste management strategies concentrated on recycling and recovery, however recent changes have seen efforts being applied by Waste Management agencies to reduce waste at the earliest opportunity.

In order to reduce waste by re-use it is necessary to provide a means for identifying items that can be re-used, where they are and where they can be transferred. Staff are encouraged to advertise redundant items within the University to facilitate re-use. There are a number of community re-use schemes in York that can provide support to the University for the re-use of redundant items.

Excellent performances have already been achieved in the area of recycling on Campus. Improvements will continue to be developed through partnership with City of York Council, and involvement by student and staff representatives.

Waste disposal and recycling points are located across campus for use by all staff and students. Sites are located in academic, catering and residential areas.
to and from the residential recycle bays to the contractor collection points as and when required.
In the York Conferences office itself, we recycle all paper, glass, cardboard and plastic. Although a paperless office is not practicable, we avoid printing unnecessarily and have green issues on our team brief agenda monthly to continually improve our waste management.

 

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