By putting items in the correct bin you help Imperial reduce waste, cut costs and increase recycling rates. This page will guide you through:
- Which bin to use for each common and specialist waste types
- What happens next if it has been disposed of properly
Nearly half of what currently goes into general waste could be recycled if it were sorted properly.
| Waste stream | What's included? | Where can I dispose of it? | What happens to it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| General waste | Non-hazardous items that can't be reused or recycled | Black general waste bins | 92% recovered 8% landfilled |
| Dry recycling | Clean, dry paper/card; glass; recyclable plastics and cans | Green mixed recycling bins | 100% recycled |
| Aerosols | Empty household/lab aerosols | Green mixed recycling bins | 100% recycled |
| Asbestos | See our dedicated asbestos page for further information | ||
| Batteries | Dry, sealed batteries such as household batteries or small amounts of lithium ion batteries (with terminals taped up) | The designated black and orange bin. If batteries are leaking then they will have to be put in a leak proof container and disposed of via the hazardous waste route | 100% recycled |
| Beverage cartons | Empty, flattened cartons | Green mixed recycling bins | 100% recycled |
| Chemical drums | Metal or plastic chemical drums, with lids removed | Metal drums can be left at scrap metal disposal points, left upside down with the lid removed. Plastic drums can be disposed in mixed recycling, with the lid removed. | 100% recycled |
| Clean, broken lab glass | Non-contaminated lab glass | Red, broken glass receptacle in the lab | Collected by a specialist contractor |
| Clinical waste | See the Safety Team's Clinical Waste Policy for further information | ||
| Confidential waste | Documents or devices that require secure destruction | Locked confidential waste containers supplied by the Waste Team | 100% recycled |
| Corrugated cardboard | High-volume corrugated cardboard | Specialist waste areas - contact our team for further information | 100% recycled |
| Electrical | PCs, devices, fridges, equipment | Either via WarpIt or request an electronic waste collection from our team | Varies depending on item |
| Flat glass | Window panes | Carefully disposed of in black general waste bins | 92% recovered 8% landfilled |
| Foil | Aluminium foil, foil bottle tops, trays, wine bottle screwtops | Green mixed recycling bins | 100% recycled |
| Food and drink cans/tins | Empty aluminium/steel tins and cans | Green mixed recycling bins | 100% recycled |
| Food waste | Any uneaten food | Green food caddies (in halls of residence) or orange food waste bins (around campus) | Anaerobic digestion to biogas and bio-fertiliser |
| Furniture | Desks, chairs, tables, cabinets | Either via WarpIt or request a furniture waste collection from our team | Varies depending on item |
| Glass (domestic) | Empty, unbroken bottles or containers | Red glass bin (if available) or green mixed recycling bin | 100% recycled |
| Hazardous | See our dedicated hazardous waste page for further information | ||
| Large plastics | Large items such as wheelie bins, pipes or anything that won't fit in a standard recycling bin | Contact our team and we'll support on a case-by-case basis | 100% recycled |
| Paint | Paint tins or cans | Request a hazardous waste collection from our team | 100% recycled |
| Paper and card | Office paper, newspaper, card, magazines, envelopes (excl. receipts, paper cups, food contaminated items) | Green mixed recycling bins | 100% recycled |
| Polystyrene | Packaging materials, yoghurt pots | Black general waste bins | 92% recovered 8% landfilled |
| Printer cartridges | Used, empty inkjet cartridges | Specialist grey cartridge bins (incl. packaging, if possible) |
50% recovered |
| Reagent bottles | See our dedicated reagent bottles page for further information | ||
| Scrap metal | See our dedicated scrap metal page for further information | ||
| Textiles and clothes | Clean, dry clothing or shoes | British Heart Foundation clothing donation bins (generally outside halls of residence) | Varies depending on item |