Blogs@UCT

Recycling in residences

Most waste from UCT’s residences, even catering residences, is recycled. Residences use the two-stream waste policy, but only kitchens and self-catering residences actively recycle and sort their waste.

Catering residences

In catering (first tier) residences, all waste from corridors and rooms is treated as dry/green waste (can be sorted and recycled). In the dining halls, the kitchen staff separate wet and dry waste. All dry waste gets taken to wheelie bins with green lids, and wet waste gets taken to wheelie bins with yellow lids. These bins get collected separately and the green waste is taken to be sorted and recycled.

Self-catering residences

In self-catering residences students are expected to actively separate their wet and dry waste. There are stickers in all flats explaining which materials are recyclable, and hooks are provided to hang separate waste packets in kitchens. In the corridors there are two joined bins, a green lidded one for dry waste and a yellow lidded one for wet waste. Students empty their packets into the corridor bins and cleaning staff empty the corridor bins into the appropriate wheelie bins, which are taken to landfill if wet/yellow waste and to be sorted and recycled if dry/green waste.


We encourage all students to be conscious of their food waste and aim to reduce it (especially in catering reses). Food itself can have a large carbon footprint and throwing it to end up in a landfill is adding to that.


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