STUDENTS VS RECYCLING

Words and photos by Kate Hathaway |

In recent years, the topic of climate change has become one that is unavoidable in the media. And as recently as last month, a nationwide student climate change strike saw young people from schools, colleges and universities across the UK walk out from their education for the day to protest climate change in an attempt to raise awareness and fight for the future of their planet. 

One of the most voiced opinions amongst young people in regards to climate change is that more should be being done to help save the planet. With a recent warning from the UN that we have only 12 years to significantly reduce global warming before a catastrophic change in our climate, which would risk extreme heat, drought, flooding and increased poverty for millions of people, young people want more to be done to prevent such harm as they believe it is their future on the line the most if change is not made. With this in mind, it would be easy to think that the nations young people would be on top of what is needed to help prevent further pollution, and would be some of the most recycling-savvy individuals around the country. 

However, a 2013 report by SITA UK and NUS found that students are much less likely to recycle than the rest of the general population. The report found that only 54.8% of students are committed recyclers, in comparison to 75% of the general population. It was also found that 10% of students said they do not recycle at all. Students who did not recycle stated that a lack of facilities within their accommodation and busy lives contributed towards their choice not to recycle. Though the report is a few years old, and the statistics may have changed in more recent years, it is clear that there is still an issue in regards to students and recycling. Most student halls now provide recycling facilities to student flats, such as recycling bins for paper and plastics and glass bins being introduced to bin stores, however there is still an issue with how these facilities are being used. A short trip around on-campus accommodation at Leeds Beckett Headingly Campus provides an insight into some of the problems with student recycling; mixtures of general waste and recyclable waste can be seen in the general waste bins, and papers, plastics and glass are not sorted into the correct bins. Various recyclable waste such as empty drink bottles and cans can also been seen scattered about the outskirts of the accommodation. Rows of empty spirits, wine and beer bottles can be seen lining the accommodation windows, so it is clear that students have got plenty to recycle.

The general reasoning given from students who have lived in student halls for the problems behind recycling is that students have too little knowledge about what can be recycled and how to properly sort it, or that some individuals simply cannot be bothered to separate their waste. This can be a source of frustration for students who do wish to recycle, but share flats with individuals who continue not to bother. Anna, 21, studying at The University of Glasgow, said,

“In my first year we had the facilities to properly recycle provided by our halls, however some of the people I shared a flat with either didn’t know why recycling is important, or didn’t care. Those of us who did want to recycle tried to, however it ended up impossible due to certain individuals in our flat constantly mixing normal waste and recycling in the same bins.”

Not only is there a problem with recycling amongst students living in halls, but also amongst those who live in shared houses going into their second and third years of university. Students who consider themselves environmentally conscious and prefer to limit their waste and properly recycle often find that upon moving into second and third year houses, there are only general waste bins provided with the house. Upon looking into obtaining the facilities to recycle, many find that they are limited in the facilities available to them. For example in Leeds, the city council removed recycling bins from certain areas due to them being used incorrectly by residents, and they are now only available by request on an individual basis. If the requested recycling bin is not used correctly however, it will be revoked again. This can then cause issues to those who request them, as they cannot guarantee that neighbours will not use the bins incorrectly. In addition, glass recycling is only available in Leeds for those who can collect their glass waste and take it to a glass collection point. For many students this is difficult, depending on where their nearest glass bank is and what sort of transportation they have available to them. If a glass bank is not within an easy walking distance, many students will not be able to carry their used glass to it due to the weight, and most students will not have a car available to them to drive to it. George, 23, studying at The University of Huddersfield, said,

“The council do not provide recycling bins to our house, and we do not have the time or transport available to be able to take our recycling to a tip or bottle bank.

“Student houses and flats should be provided with sufficient equipment for recycling and curbside collection, as the number of students per house often generates a lot of recyclable waste, such as glass bottles and cans from parties and glass jars or tins.

“There is a lot of talk amongst students and information aimed at students about the importance of recycling, but in the end nothing actually seems to get done.”

So, as part of the voice of young people who want to see a change in the world to help save our planet, what do we need to do to be more proactive and become more green? As students, it seems that we need to take it upon ourselves to become more engaged in recycling, and help educate our peers who don’t in why it is so important. It also seems that we need to shout even louder for what we want and need to make recycling more accessible to and easier for students, so that rather than just over half of all students being committed to recycling, 100% of students have no excuse for not recycling.