A-Z Guide to Recycling & Waste
Have a look at our A-Z Guide to Recycling & Waste at the University of Leicester. Click on a letter and find out what advice we give you for your waste materials. The downloadable version of the guide will be online by December.
Let us know if there is something we have missed! Email us at waste@le.ac.uk
Aerosols
Deodorant cans, cleaning sprays etc
Aerosols are high-pressure spray cans. They usually contain a liquefied gas which works to propel the product through the valve.

Aerosols are categorised as hazardous waste.
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Please DO NOT put aerosols into landfill bins
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At present, facilities for disposal of aerosols are being developed.
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Please send aerosols in the internal post to The Environment Team
Aluminium Cans
(back to top)

Recycling aluminium drink cans saves up to 95% of the energy needed to make aluminum from its raw materials!
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Metal Recycling Bins
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Empties only!
Aluminium Foil
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Metal Recycling Bins
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Please rinse
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Crisp packets, chocolate wrappers and cigarette wrappers are not aluminium foil. Please put these into landfill bins
Batteries
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Please DO NOT put batteries in the landfill bins
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Please dispose of batteries in the battery disposal units in the following buildings: Charles Wilson, Adrian, Engineering and Fraser Noble.
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Alternatively, as a last resort, send batteries in a strong internal envelope marked to 'The Battery Container' at the Post Room
Books and Hard Backed Directories
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Can it be reused? Try giving it to the Secondhand Bookshop in Percy Gee if they want it
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Paper Recycling Bins
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Please DO NOT overfill the bins
Cables
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Please DO NOT put cables into landfill bins
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All electrical waste is to be stored until there is sufficient quantity to be transferred to WEEE container. Please contact Phil Ball when your electrical waste is ready to be transferred.
Cardboard Boxes & Corrugated Cardboard
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PLEASE FLAT-PACK ALL BOXES and either leave at a designated waste collection point or take to a labelled cardboard container.
Card Boxes & Packaging

Cereal boxes, tissue boxes (back to top)
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Paper Recycling Bins
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Please ensure they are free from food and as FLAT as possible
Cartridges

Ink, toner, printer (back to top)
- If you do not already donate your cartridges to charity, please send them internally to the SU Rag Office or leave them outside the SU Rag Office in a suitable container
CDs, DVDS, Tapes and Minidisks
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At present, no central facilities exist to recycle CDs on campus.

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To find out where you can recycle these, please contact Phil Ball.
Crisp Packets & Snack Food Packets
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Landfill Bins
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Electrical Waste

Kitchen equipment, torches, telephones (back to top)
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Please DO NOT put electrical waste into landfill bins
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All electrical waste is to be stored until there is sufficient quantity to be transferred to the WEEE container. Please contact Phil Ball when your electrical waste is ready to be transferred
Envelopes

With or without windows (back to top)
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Paper Recycling Bins
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Envelopes can be reused internally
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Please see padded envelopes
Fluorescent Tubes
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Please DO NOT put fluorescent tubes into landfill bins
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Fluorescent Tubes are classed as electrical waste. All electrical waste is to be stored until there is sufficient quantity to be transferred to WEEE container. Please contact Phil Ball when your energy saving light bulbs and electrical waste are ready to be transferred.
Folders
Box files, ring binders (back to top)
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Landfill Bins
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Please re-use
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At present, facilities to recycle folders on campus are being investigated
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Please remove metal ring binders and dispose into metal recycling bins
Food Tins

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Metal Recycling Bins
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Please rinse
Food Waste
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Landfill Bins
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Food waste is currently collected for composting from the Charles Wilson Building kitchen.
Furniture
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Furniture is re-used where possible.
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Please contact Interior Solutions.
Glass Bottles and Jars
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Glass banks are located between the Physics Building and the Charles Wilson Building.
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The closest City Council glass recycling unit to the main campus is situated in Victoria Park
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For more information about glass recycling please visit Leicester City Council's website, www.leicester.gov.uk or www.biffaleicester.co.uk
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IT Waste
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Please DO NOT put IT waste into landfill bins
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The University currently works with Second Byte to recycle redundant IT equipment. They also provide a comprehensive data destruction service.
If you have any reduntant IT waste, please fill in the online collection form here. Collections are free of charge.
Please contact Phil Ball (x1434) for further information if necessary.
Junk Mail & Magazine Inserts

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Paper Recycling Bins
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You can take your name off mailing lists by visiting the webpages of the Mailing Preference Services
K
Laminated Paper & Posters
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Landfill Bins
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If the laminated paper needs to be shredded first, please contact Property Services (Interior Solutions x2311 or x5080)
Light Bulbs (Filament)
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Landfill Bins
Light Bulbs (Energy Saving)
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Please DO NOT put energy saving light bulbs into landfill bins

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Energy-saving light bulbs are classed as electrical waste. All electrical waste is to be stored until there is sufficient quantity to be transferred to the WEEE container. Please contact Phil Ball when your energy saving light bulbs and electrical waste are ready to be transferred.
Metal
Paper clips, cans, binders (back to top)
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Metal Recycling Bins
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DO NOT put crisp packets or sweet wrappers into metal recycling bins
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DO NOT put hard metal (taps, exhaust pipes, cutlery) into metal recycling bins
Milk Bottles
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Plastic Recycling Bins
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Please rinse
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Glass bottles are to be returned to place of purchase
Mobile Phones
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Please put any old mobile phones in one of the 'Phones for Africa' recycling bins in the Students Union or Charles Wilson Building.
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To recycle work phones please contact Ian Saker (communications officer) on ext:5697 or send him an email at is12@le.ac.uk
Magazines & Newspapers

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Paper Recycling Bins
N
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Padded Envelopes
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Please re-use for internal mail
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The bubble wrap can be seperated from the paper and recycled separately if you're a keen recycler
Paper

Printer, writing and note paper etc (back to top)
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Paper Recycling Bins
Paper (waxy or coated)
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Paper Recycling Bins
Paper Bags
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Paper Recycling Bins
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Please re-use
Paper Towels & Serviettes
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Landfill Bins
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If clean and dry but not used please put these into paper recycling bins
Pens
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Landfill Bins
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If separable, please separate the plastic and recycle in the plastic recycling bin
Plastic 
Bubble wrap ,cling film, plastic sleeves, spiral binders (back to top)
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Plastic Recycling Bins
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Please make sure they are clean and dry
Plastic Bottles

All types including drinks, milk, soap and cleaning product bottles (back to top)
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Plastic Recycling Bins
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Please remove lids
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Please rinse
Plastic Containers and Plastic Food Wrapping
All types including plastic cups

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Plastic Recycling Bins
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Please make sure they are clean and dry
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Please rinse
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If dirty, please put in landfill bins
Plastic Cutlery

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Plastic Recycling Bins
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Please rinse
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If dirty, please put into the landfill bins
Hard Plastic

CD & DVD cases, pen barrels, lids etc. (back to top)
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Landfill Bins
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If the item contains a recycling triangle, please recycle (clean and dry) in th plastic recycling bins
Plastic Carrier Bags

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Plastic Recycling Bins
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Please make sure all bags are empty
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Please re-use
Polystyrene Cups & Food Trays
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Landfill Bins
Polystyrene Packaging (small)

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Landfill Bins
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Collect and re-use if clean or offer to a departmental goods-in/stores
Polystyrene Packaging (large)

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Landfill Bins
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There are different collection schemes for large polystyrene packaging throughout the university
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Please contact the Environmental Coordinator of your building (especially in Science Buildings) for further information
Q
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Shredded Paper and confidential shredded paper
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Paper recycling bins
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Ask the porters and cleaners to provide you with clear bags for your shredding machine so that the paper can be recycled. Please DO NOT use black bags!
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A contract is in place with PHS Waste Management for a confidential on-site shredding service. This also includes small volumes of laminated paper
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Contact Property Services if you have laminated paper which requires shredding (Interior Solutions x2311 or x5080)
Tetrapak Cartons

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Landfill Bins
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At present, no facilities exist on campus to recycle Tetrapak cartons. The nearest Tetrapak recycling facility is at Oadby Village
Textiles & Clothes

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Landfill Bins
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At present, facilities to dispose of textiles and clothes on campus are being investigated.
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The nearest textile recycling unit to the main campus is located in Victoria Park.
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Visit www.leicester.gov.uk for more information.
Toys, Soft Toys & Games

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Landfill Bins
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At present, no facilities exist on campus to recycle toys and games. If they are in good condition please consider donating to charity. Or to a friend who needs a hug.

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White Goods
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Please fill in the online collection request form here
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Items must be left in secure locations.
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