Know your bins

Shared recycling points across the Estate encourage the separation of waste therefore increasing the quantity and quality of recycling.

Find out what you can dispose of in each bin:

Orange: Dry Mixed Recycling

Any recyclable packaging must be free of food leftovers before it is placed into the orange bin. If this is not possible, place in grey General Waste bin.

Yes please

No thanks

Packaging films
Rinsed out milk bottles
Empty drinks bottles
Clean salad trays
Rinsed out margarine tubs
Plastic bread bags
Plastic bags from cereals
Plastic wrappers from mulitpacks of cans and plastic bottles
Plastic wrappers from toilet roll and kitchen roll
Plastic freezer bags
Plastic bags
Plastic magazine and newspaper wrap
Rinsed cans (food or drink)
Cardboard (corrugated, cereal boxes, non-plastic coated packaging)
Paper (newspapers, office paper, magazines, sticky notes)
Envelopes (including window envelopes)
Newspapers
Books, catalogues and journals
Tetra Pak
Aluminium foil
Bubble wrap

Disposable hot drinks cups
Plastic coated cardboard (e.g. noodle pots, takeaway food boxes, etc)
Paper towels
Glitter cards/wrapping paper
Electrical equipment
Batteries
Crisp packets
Sweet wrappers
Polystyrene
Hard and rigid plastics (window frames, pipes, drums)
Containers with food residues
Hazardous waste (paint tins, bleach bottles)
Padded envelopes
Sandwich boxes (cardboard/cellophane mix)
Glass
Aerosols and gas canisters
Paint, varnish and glue
Printer cartridges
Microwaveable food trays
Plastic packaging strapping
Bioplastics
Any non-polyethylene film e.g. polypropylene (PP)
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Cling film
Food and drink pouches
Film lids from food trays

Grey: General Waste

General Waste bins are to be used for any waste that is not suitable for recycling.

Yes please	No thanks
Paper towels Polystyrene Food waste Containers with food residues Coffee grounds and tea bags Disposable hot drinks cups Plastic coated cardboard (e.g. noodle pots, takeaway food boxes, etc) Paper towels Glitter cards/wrapping paper Crisp packets Sweet wrappers Polystyrene Containers with food residues Padded envelopes Sandwich boxes (cardboard/cellophane mix) Plastic bags	Aerosols and gas canisters Paint, varnish and glue Printer cartridges Electrical equipment Batteries Hard and rigid plastics (window frames, pipes, drums) Hazardous waste (paint tins or bleach bottles)

Blue: Paper and Cardboard

Paper and cardboard bins are only supplied where large quantities of paper are produced. If not available, use the orange Dry Mixed Recycling bin.

Yes please

No thanks

Cardboard (corrugated, cereal boxes, non-plastic coated packaging)
Paper (newspapers, office paper, magazines, sticky notes)
Envelopes (including window envelopes)
Newspapers
Books, catalogues and journals

Disposable hot drinks cups
Plastic coated cardboard (e.g. noodle pots, takeaway food boxes, etc)
Paper towels
Glitter cards/wrapping paper
Electrical equipment
Batteries
Bubble wrap
Crisp packets
Sweet wrappers
Polystyrene
Hard and rigid plastics (window frames, pipes, drums)
Containers with food residues
Hazardous waste (paint tins or bleach bottles)
Padded envelopes
Aluminium foil
Sandwich boxes (cardboard/cellophane mix)
Glass
Aerosols and gas canisters
Paint, varnish and glue
Printer cartridges

Blue/Green Caddy: Glass

Glass caddies are provided in all kitchen and tea-preparation areas.

Yes please	No thanks
Empty recyclable clear, brown and green glass bottles and jars Winchester glass bottles	Pyrex Water jugs Drinking glasses Ceramic items (e.g. plates, mugs)

Green: Food

Food waste bins are located at all cafes across the University. Otherwise, the grey General Waste bin should be used to ensure the recycling bins remain uncontaminated.

Yes please	No thanks
Cooked food Uncooked/raw food Plate scrapings Meat Fruit Vegetables	Compostable packaging Compostable disposable drinks cups Biodegradable plastics

Compostable packaging must not be placed in green Food Waste bins. Compostable packing is required to be processed using in-vessel composting - the University's general waste contractor is not able to utilise this technology due to the scale of food waste they are collecting across the city of Edinburgh. Instead they send all the University's food waste to anaerobic digestion, and compostable packaging cannot be treated in this way and would be removed from the food waste stream (as a contaminant) and sent as refuse-derived fuel.

This article was published on 19 May, 2023