Waste & Recycling

There are many ways of disposing of waste. The waste hierarchy lists these methods in a sliding scale, from the most environmentally friendly option to the least for many types of waste:

• Prevention – the best option, this focuses on reducing waste being produced in the first place
• Reuse – for example, using old food containers as lunch boxes or old plastic bags as bin liners
• Recycle – taking materials from old products to make something new, like making car parts from old metal drinks cans
• Energy recovery – creating energy from waste, for example by burning it to produce electricity
• Disposal – the worst option for most types of waste as this often involves burying rubbish in landfill

Bury College Recycling Process

Click here to discover what happens to Bury College’s
combined waste.

Recycling Process Stages in Pictures - Click here to view

Recycling Statistics 2011

•  Environmental Report - 01/06/2012 to 30/06/2012
•  Environmental Report - 01/05/2012 to 31/05/2012
•  Environmental Report - 01/01/2012 to 31/03/2012
•  Environmental Report - 01/10/2011 to 31/12/2011
•  Environmental Report - 01/07/2011 to 30/09/2011
•  Environmental Report - 01/04/2011 to 30/06/2011

•  End of Year Environmental Report 2011

Recycling Videos

Recycling Printer Cartridges

Bury College operates a system of recycling printer cartridges.  Designated Cartridge collection points are located at The Woodbury Centre, Millennium Centre, Beacon Centre and Link House.

Watch our toner cartridge recycling process

Recycling food waste (Anaerobic Food Digestion)

All Bury College’s food waste from the refectories and the training kitchens is transported to Lower Reule Farm in Gnosall, Staffordshire. Here it is used to produce heat and electricity from the Anaerobic Digestion process.

The heat is used in polytunnels to heat and help the growth of strawberries. These strawberries are then sold on to the big supermarkets – Tesco, Asda and Morrison's.

The electricity is fed back to the grid. The heat and electricity also helps to power the plant. The fertiliser/compost that is produced – 50% is used on her own farming land and the other 50% is spread onto the land of 5 neighbouring farms.

Bury College Food Waste Report - December 2011 - click here to view

Household battery recycling

Approximately 10% of all household batteries are recycled in the UK, which is a very small amount. 22,000 tonnes of household batteries end up in landfill each year where they can leak harmful chemicals into the soil.

Bury College are now collecting batteries for recycling. There are five battery collection points within the college. These boxes are located at:

For more information on battery recycling visit the Recycle-more website or Click here to see how batteries are recycled.

Spectacles

Bury College are now helping Vision Aid Overseas by encouraging staff and students to recycle their old or unwanted glasses.
Click here for further information or Click here to visit the Vision Aid Website.

Saving Water

Click here for tips on how to save water

Useful Links

•  Sustainability - Overview
•  Sustainability - Travel
•  Sustainability - Energy & Carbon
•  Sustainability - Construction & Development
•  Sustainability - Information Technology

For further information on Sustainability at Bury College contact:

John Brotherton

Business Support Director - Estates
Bury College, Market Street, Bury, BL9 0BG

or Email: john.brotherton@burycollege.ac.uk