Recycling

Recycling is one of the best ways for us to have a positive impact on the world.

Each building in School has a recycling point which has a paper bin (usually with a blue lid), drink cans (usually with a grey lid), plus one for general waste (usually with a black lid). Our recycling initiatives are interlinked with our behavioural change initiatives to reduce as much as possible (see our pages on reduce).

Our Estates and Cleaning Team empty these bins into larger bins in the Estates Yard which are then taken off site to be recycled. It is important not to put the wrong thing in these bins otherwise it contaminates the collection and it cannot be recycled.

Paper

Paper is the main form of waste created by schools, making up at least a quarter of all rubbish. Waste paper and cardboard is collected from site by a waste removal company and is taken to their local recycling facility where it is 100% recycled into new paper products.

This includes confidential waste which is shredded.

Cans

Drinks cans are made from metal, which is usually separated into 2 groups. Cans have a symbol on them such as an alu mark, to indicate what metal it is made from - it will most probably be aluminium.

We have to make sure drink and food cans are clean before recycling.

Plastics

When plastic bottles are recycled they can be made into lots of things like t-shirts, sweaters, fleece jackets, insulation for jackets and sleeping bags, carpeting and more bottles. It takes about 10 bottles to make enough plastic fiber to make a cool new t-shirt. It takes 63 bottles to make a sweater. Whilst we have banned the sale of single-use plastic water bottles, the school does have other drinks in plastic bottles, and lots of pupils still bring bottles in with them. Where possible - refillable bottles should be brought into school.

Food

Through our waste removal contract, 100% of food waste from the Dining Hall is diverted away from landfill and into the Anaerobic Digestion process at one of their materials recovery facility in Manchester.

There, the uneaten food is treated and converted into clean, renewable energy, whether that be electricity, biofuel or even fresh compost. It helps reduce our carbon footprint and do our bit for cleaning up the local environment.

Plate waste is the biggest source of food waste - see our pages on "reduce" for more about out Waste Awareness Week.

Metals

A waste removal company collects scrap metal from site, and after sorting it, it is sent to a scrap metal processing plant for recycling. Metals are broken down and reformed into new usable pieces which helps to build new cars, aircraft, appliances, and even new food packaging.

Toners and Cartridges

Used printer cartridges are collected by a local company who are focused upon creating a zero waste society. Any cartridges which cannot be reused as aftermarket cartridges are sent for recycling where they are broken down to their raw materials.

Laser toner cartridges contain aluminium which is recycled, the plastic is shredded and generally used to manufacture low cost items such as buckets. Waste toner is used by some as a colourant for tarmac.

Batteries

There are battery collection boxes around school which are emptied once a term and sent to be recycled.

Electrical Equipment

Our old IT and electrical equipment is recycled through a "WEEE" system which involves assets being disassembled so each component can be recycled - from copper to plastic to gold!