As climate change and global warming deteriorates, people need to be more aware of the simple actions they can take to help contribute towards the protection of the environment. Recycling is one of the many effective ways for you to have a positive impact on the planet.

It involves a process of turning used materials into new products in order to reduce energy usage and air and water pollution.


Recycling is important as waste has a huge negative impact on the natural environment and therefore undeniably on the people living in it. It reduces the amount of raw materials used which means that natural resources are preserved and the energy reduced. The negative effects are the fault of increasing populations who buy more products, creating more waste which leads to more harmful chemicals and greenhouse gasses being released from rubbish in landfill in sites.   

On campus, there are 14 recycling centres located by student residences and four in Squares 2, 3, 4 and 5. Recycling is collected daily, baled and compacted on site, then sold. North, South and Quays residences are provided with recycling bags in the kitchens for cans, plastic and glass. Students are responsible for emptying the recycling into the external receptacles located around the residences.

Bags for the collection of paper and cardboard are no longer provided as they are considered to be a fire risk and therefore the students are expected to put them directly into the receptacles outside the residences.

At South Courts and North Campus, they are emptied during the late afternoon, Monday to Friday. Recycling at the Quays is collected by the Colchester Borough Council.

You can do more by reducing the amount of waste you create by choosing what rubbish you throw away; by reusing items found around the house before throwing them away; and by recycling.

To reduce contamination and improve recycling efficiency, you can:
•    Scrape out any food remains/pour away excess liquid.
•    Rinse the container (use your washing-up water)
•    Don't put recyclable items in the dishwasher
•    Crush metal cans.
•    Squeeze plastic bottles flat to expel as much air as possible.

To find out more about recycling and how to recycle better, the Colchester Borough Council has a very clear and complete website:
www.colchester.gov.uk/recycling

You can also check out
http://www.recyclenow.com/

You can also e-mail: recycling@colchester.gov.uk
Or phone: 01206282700

If you live off campus in Colchester or Wivenhoe then the local council operates a residents recycling scheme. There are different days to put out the different recyclable items from cans and glass to plastic paper and garden waste.  All items must be clean, sorted and in the correct containers.
Follow this link to get to the council pages on recycling which will give you the information you need: 

Regarding off campus residences, Avon Way accommodation have recycling bags for paper, cardboard and bottles; however Forest Road House does not have any means to recycle.

For students living off-campus it is also possible to recycle as separate clear bin bags are provided for plastics as well as paper and cardboard. You can ask for these bags at the Albert library. Green recycling boxes are used for glasses and cans and tins and can be picked up in different places depending on where you live. To find out where one can pick one up, click here.

The recycling calendar for 2009/2010 is the following:

•    Green week collection: Mixed plastics in clear recycling sack; Garden waste in garden waste sacks.
In November 2009: 24th
In December 2009: 8th, 22nd
In January 2010: 5th, 19th
In February 2010: 2nd, 16th
In March 2010: 2nd, 16th, 30th

•    Blue week collection: Paper, card and cardboard in clear recycling sack; Glass, cans and foil in recycling box; Clothes and shoes in marked bag.
In December 2010: 1st, 15th, 29th
In January 2010: 12th, 26th
In February 2010: 9th, 23rd
In March 2010: 9th, 23rd

All rubbish bags, recycling bags and green boxes need to be out by 7am on Tuesday mornings.

To find out more, download the pdf file on the recycling guide.

The Union runs the No-Waste Graduation sales around the beginning of term to re-cycle students unwanted items and sell them for charity. To find out about re-cycling or giving away unwanted items in other ways try some of the links below:

The National Materials Exchange