KU students disappointed with options for recycling in halls

The waste containers at Clayhill Halls of Residence.

Students are upset that the options for recycling are so limited at Clayhill Halls of Residence, as there is no individual container in the kitchen for food waste.

There is a container at Clayhill for dry mixed recyclables where residents can sort cardboard, paper and plastic, but there is only one bin for rubbish in the kitchen and no container at all for food waste.

“When I first moved in here, I was wondering how I was supposed to throw away my food waste in the kitchen, and then I realised that Clayhill doesn’t have a food waste container,” Clayhill resident Maddy Norwell said. “I think that is really bad, they really should sort food waste.”

Students are motivated to improve the university’s sustainability rank and make it more eco-friendly.

According to People and Planet University League, Kingston University is currently number 93 out of 154 universities when it comes to sustainability.

“I think it’s very disappointing that we are that far down on the list, the university really should be doing more to do better,” Katherine Nel said. “Making it easier to recycle is definitely a way to get higher on the list.”

Improving the halls’ recycling options would help improve the university’s ranking when it comes to sustainability, but students and staff also find it hard to recycle correctly on campus.

The rubbish bins at Penrhyn vary and Nel and other students are often confused about how to recycle properly.

“I never know what bin to throw rubbish in when I’m at Penrhyn, and I see a lot of people throwing rubbish in the wrong bins when I’m at campus,” Nel said.

By Malin Lervaag