Two years ago the College devised a scheme aimed at increasing student awareness of environmental issues, encouraging participation in recycling, reducing litter on site whilst at the same time funding the Student Association. In order for the students to raise funds for a range of activities in the Student Association, the college pays the students for recycling plastic rather than funding the association directly. An increasing fund scale has been arranged to ensure the long term interest of the students.
Students place their used plastic bottles in the bins provided, a contractor collects and records the amount of plastic removed for recycling. The Student Association are paid currently £3.00 per m3 .
"The ‘Waste Pays' scheme is just one of the many initiatives introduced at the college over the past seven years. Other schemes include the recycling of printer cartridges; the introduction of solar panels and rainwater harvesting; phased use of central heating and automatic lighting controls. The scheme has seen an increase in plastic recycling of 60m3 against the previous academic year"
Since its conception the students and staff have recycled 236m3 of plastic and earned the Student Association a total £708 for their activities. It has saved the same amount going to landfill and the time, effort and cost otherwise needed in keeping the campus clean.
Ms Niki Shuttleworth
Deeside College,
Kelsterton Road,
Connah's Quay,
Deeside,
Flintshire.
CH5 4BR
Tel: 01244 834549
Email: shuttln@desside.ac.uk
