Recycling and Waste Management

UNE's Waste Management Strategy is available here.

A-Z of Recycling and Waste Management at UNE

Downloadable PDF A to Z Office Waste Disposal Guide

Recycling and Green Waste Signage

You can access copies of our recycling and waste management signage here:

Recycling

Armidale Recycling Services have recently taken over the recycling contract at UNE. Glass, plastic bottles, aluminum cans and tin cans are placed in a chain driven hopper and sorted by staff at stations along the belt.  Milk bottles are sent to Melbourne to be processed into new bottles; PET bottles are recycled in Sydney to become new PET products; Aluminium cans are sent to Newcastle and tin cans sent to Brisbane to be recycled.  Plastic bags and plastic film sent to Sydney. All other plastics are baled and shipped overseas.  Glass sorted into colours and transported to Brisbane to make new glass.

Recycling bins can be identified by YELLOW lids or decals. They can be used for recycling the following items;

  • Plastic bottles and containers
  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Aluminium and tin cans
  • Empty aerosol cans

Recycling Schedule:

Monday - Central and Eastern Academic Campus
Tuesday -  Sport UNE, Mary White College and Estate and Built Environment
Wednesday - Bellevue Campus Colleges 
Thursday - Southern Academic Campus
Friday - Western Academic Campus, Tablelands Clinical School

Green Waste

Green bins can be identified by GREEN lids or decals. They can be used for recycling the following items;

  • Food waste including meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, leftovers, raw or cooked
  • UNE Life cardboard and BioPak food packaging (see here for comprehensive list)
  • Pizza boxes
  • Disposable Napkins
  • Paper towel
  • Tissues
  • Cardboard takeaway containers
  • Tea bags
  • Coffee grounds
  • Cooking oil (cool oil from a fry pan can just be soaked up in paper town and then placed into the green Bin)

Green waste is taken to the Armidale Regional Council City to Soil Facility where it is composted into high grade compost, available for sale to the public.

In 2019 Estate and Built Environment took samples of the packaging used by UNE Life at the various cafes on campus and ran a trial to see if they would break down in the City 2 Soil process. The trial was a success - look out for the compostable labelling on your packaging so you can make sure you use the right bin.

Paper and Cardboard Recycling

Paper recycling bins can be identified by BLUE lids or decals. The following items can be place in designated paper bins:

  • Office paper
  • Envelopes and manila folders
  • Newspaper, magazines and small books
  • Cardboard

Cardboard collection cages are provided at various locations around campus.  Staff will need to take all cardboard down to these cages for collection by Ascent. To make things easier, please ensure that all cardboard boxes are flattened before they are put into the cage. This will ensure the maximum amount of cardboard will fit into the cage.

General Waste

General waste bins can be identified by RED lids or decals. Some bins may not be clearly marked so please consider your options before you dispose of your waste. The following items should be placed in general waste bins;

  • Polystyrene and foam
  • Plastic bags and cling wrap
  • Waxed Wrappers
  • Soiled food containers
  • ANYTHING that you are unsure of - this will minimise unintentional contamination of recycling

Other Waste

Toner Cartridge Recycling

Toner cartridges bins are provided in conjunction with Planet Ark and are located in printer rooms throughout campus. They can be used to recycle the following items;

  • Inkjet cartridges
  • Laser cartridges
  • Toner bottles
  • Fuser and drum units
  • Print heads

Once the bin is full simply tie off the bag and send it out with the internal mail. FMS is in the process of organising the placement and collection of the bags through Planet Ark for disposal.

For more information about waste management practices within New England region, please visit Armidale Regional Council's Website.

Battery Recycling

Small battery recycling collection points are located in the following areas:

  • Front desk of all UNE Colleges - Mary White, Wright, Earle Page, Robb, Duval and Austin;
  • Dixon Library Service Desk
  • FMS Operations N004
  • ITD Building
  • Nursing reception
  • TC Lamble

Soft Plastics Recycling

Soft, clear plastic (e.g. bubble wrap, clear plastic packaging) can be disposed of in the signed bins in between ITD and Pat O'Shane and behind the Dixon Library.