Queen's Accommodation and Hospitality - Making Room for Recycling

Making Room for Recycling

21 September 2009

It's now even easier for students living in Queen's University accommodation and staff in Accommodation and Hospitality to recycle thanks to a new initiative launched in February of this year.

Belfast City Council has joined forces with students and staff to encourage them to use new facilities at Elms Village, College Gardens, Guthrie House and Mount Charles.

Bottle banks have been installed at Elms Village for recycling glass bottles and jars, as well as bins for cardboard, paper, plastic bottles, food and drink cans. Recycling points have also been set up at the other three residences for the same materials.

The Community Youth Team have reported that the feedback from residents following their weekly visits to all apartments has been positive and students now feel that they been given the opportunity to do their bit for the environment.

To date the response from students and staff has been extremely encouraging with an additional three recycling bins installed at Elms Village at the end of March. In College Gardens, Guthrie House and Mount Charles there has been a 4% reduction in the general waste and it is hoped that this will continue to reduce in the coming months.

Accommodation and Hospitality staff are currently in negotiations with Oxfam in relation to the installation of a clothing and book bank at Elms Village and the possibility of a bag drop to off-site properties prior to the end of the residential year.