Bristol University’s Energy and Environmental Management Unit (EEMU) has been awarded £63,553 by the National Lottery funded Community Recycling and Economic Development (CRED) Programme to set-up a University Residences Recycling Project.

The innovative project, a partnership between the University, Bath University, Envolve, Bristol City Council and Bath and North East Somerset Council, will provide recycling services to a community where recycling is not common practice.

The main aims of the project are:

• To establish improved and flexible recycling facilities at university accommodation in Bristol and Bath to reduce the waste going to landfill.
• To show that communicating with students on mass can be an effective way to increase recycling rates and awareness of environmental issues during and after their time at university.
• To provide benchmark data and a best practice case study for use by other universities so that similar schemes can be established nationwide.

Joanna Simpson, Assistant Energy and Environmental Manager, said: ‘We are delighted with the award. The University’s EEMU implemented a pilot recycling scheme in Badock Hall in 2002 where a recycling bin was placed in each students bedroom in addition to their waste bin.

‘This scheme was a great success and increased recycling on average by 132 per cent with a 350 per cent increase in paper recycling. The award will enable us to start a similar scheme in each hall modified to fit the needs of individual halls. '

The University’s EEMU was formed in 2001.  The unit is responsible for implementing energy and water efficiency measures and environmental improvements across the University.

The CRED Programme, set-up on January 23 2003, aims to improve the quality of life of communities in England through establishing new waste recycling, reuse or composting projects in areas where they do not currently exist, and to expand existing schemes.