In 2010 the Bloomsbury Colleges produced waste which weighed as much as 1,222 fully laden jumbo jets. Of this volume, only 38% of this total volume is recycled. This is positive as it shows strong willingness to recycle but there is a big opportunity for improvement in this rate.

The recycling rate is different for each institution but in all colleges there is a gap between where we are and where we could (or should) be.

The colleges are taking responsibility for large areas of waste and making the opportunities to recycle available to staff and students. This includes

• Sending food waste to make compost in SOAS

• Making recycling bins available on all sites in all colleges for common waste streams (paper, plastics, cans and bottles)

• Encouraging reuse and reduction e.g. bringing your own cup means you get 10 pence off the price of your hot drink in the shops and refectories on site

• Making food waste recycling available in communal areas at Tavistock Place for LSHTM

• Putting clear signs and instructions for recycling points around the colleges

The actions of the colleges waste management services are only as effective as the willingness of the people using them. If people are not putting their waste in the correct bins or trying to reduce e.g. printing less or printing double sided, the services put in place will not have any effect on the recycling rate. This is an area of sustainability where student and staff actions are definitely the most important part in achieving improvement.

There are lots of tips for what you can do to be more sustainable in little ways on this website, including simple ways of reducing the amount of waste you produce.