SMART targets

SMART targets are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound.

Find out more about waste disposal at recycling at Imperial.

To do this the College will:

  1. Publicise the College hierarchy for waste: Reduce/Reuse/Recycle.
  2. Provide recycling targets and regularly review these to increase recycling. Initially this target will be to increase recycling by 40% by 2015; 55% by 2020.
  3. Provide recycling facilities which are located in common positions, regularly serviced and are simple to use.
  4. Comply with the separation requirements of the current waste collection agency.
  5. Regularly review opportunities for reduction of waste to landfill.
  6. Install composting facilities where economic and practical.
  7. Provide specifications and briefing documents for new developments aimed at using recycled materials where viable.
  8. Provide a purchasing policy which encourages use of regular supplies which are recyclable.
  9. Set a strategy of monitoring waste and recycling to verify improvement.

Imperial College waste policy

Imperial College has an interest and is active in dealing with waste in a responsible and sustainable manner. The College recognises that there are many parties involved in waste generation at the College, including the various College communities, use of materials and equipment and College operations.

The College recognises the importance of its role in working with its supply chain and others to help avoid or to minimise the generation of waste and in working with the waste collection authorities.

The College is committed to good practice in reducing and managing waste effectively and innovatively and integrating the policy within all departments at all levels.

Reducing waste sent to landfill

The most sustainable and most cost-effective approach for the College is to help staff and students avoid waste arising in the first place. If waste is unavoidable then our policy is to help minimise it, facilitate its use as far as possible as a resource, and mitigate its effects on our community and environment.

The College aims to lead by example by continuing to work to reduce the waste generated from our own buildings and activities and to increase re-use and recycling and not to simply exhort students and staff to take a sustainable approach to waste.

Imperial College aims to liaise with all departments of the College to contribute to reduction of all forms of waste.

Imperial College is committed to the policy hierarchy giving priority to avoidance and reduction of waste, then to reuse, recycling and composting, and then other means of recovering value, such as deriving energy from residual waste.

In compliance with statutory policies as much biodegradable waste as possible will be diverted from landfill. For certain specialist wastes, such as toxic waste, the College will liaise with the Environment Agency to ensure safe disposal.

Waste awareness

The College will provide awareness and other programmes for students and staff. The College will also work with the waste collection authority to meet the published targets for recycling/composting.

Partnerships

The College will approach faculty and residents waste by pursuing opportunities to manage both streams in a co-ordinated way. We will pursue opportunities to work with College departments to help reduce waste arising from teaching and research and promote reuse and recycling. The College regards waste as a resource for re-use, recycling into secondary raw materials, and value recovery.

As part of a sustainable approach to the management of waste, the College will continue to review and encourage opportunities for existing and emerging technologies and techniques.

Waste targets

The College was the first University to commit to the WRAP (Waste Resources & Action Programme) scheme for halving construction Waste to Landfill. The College will exceed the requirements of environmental legislation and advisory codes of practice where practicable and environmental benefit can be demonstrated and to achieve the following basic strategy:

  1. Reducing the volume of waste generated.
  2. Improving quantity of re-use of what is currently considered as ‘waste’.
  3. Improving volume recycled.

The College has therefore set the following targets for its operations:

  1. Reduce waste generation progressively by increasing Recycling to 40% by 201 5 and 55% by 2020.
  2. Provide a recycling strategy across the College which allows separation of waste.
  3. Apply regular comparison of recycling performance against published benchmarks.
  4. To ensure new development, upgrades and refurbishments are carried out to College policies, specifications and briefing documentation with regard to reduction and separation of waste.
  5. Where possible apply independent environmental assessment methods (for example BREEAM) to new development.