All students and colleagues can now start using our new food waste bin at the café at the New Cavendish campus.
The new bin is located to the right of the microwaves in the café and should be used for food waste only.
Approximately 9.5 million tonnes of food are wasted during a year in the UK, and this food goes to general waste to be incinerated, releasing greenhouse gas emissions. Food waste is responsible for 7.7% of the UK’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions.
By using our new food waste bin, we can divert this waste and send it to anaerobic digestion. This process creates biogas for use as a fuel and a nutrient-rich biofertiliser which can be used in agriculture.
By making a simple switch by putting food in the food waste bin rather than general waste we can reduce the University’s overall emissions. However, it is important the bin is used correctly - contamination will mean the whole collection will have to go to general waste.
Using the bin correctly
Can go in… | Can’t go in… |
|---|---|
| Fruit and vegetables (including peelings) | Any packaging |
| Sandwiches | Non-food products |
| Tea bags and coffee grounds | Liquids e.g. milk, coffee |
| Food scraps | |
| Dairy products, eggs and eggshells | |
| Raw or cooked meat and fish (including bones) | |
| Baked goods | |
| Out-of-date or mouldy food |
We all hold a responsibility to reduce the amount of food going to waste by only taking what we need.
Why not try some of the food available from our cafes and refectories on TooGoodToGo, to minimise the volume of food going to waste? This service is available to all students and colleagues at the University.
