A Guide to Student Waste Management

Many students have a reputation for creating lots of waste and being messy. More than half a million students in the UK live in privately rented houses and flats, while thousands more live in student accommodation. That means lots of rubbish is generated throughout the year, which isn’t always managed properly.

The end of the academic year is a key time when effective student waste management is required. Hundreds of thousands of students across the UK move out to head home or into new accommodation for next year. This is when everything from old pots and pans to furniture, food, duvets, clothes, and many more items are often chucked out.

Improper disposal and management may lead to fly-tipping and other problems. Responsible management of waste that students generate benefits everyone, from local residents and authorities to the environment. Discover how to manage student waste efficiently, whether you’re a student, a private landlord, or run any student accommodation.

Student accommodation needs efficient waste management processes in place, whatever its size and location. This helps maintain hygienic premises, uphold the duty of care of the university or company that owns the accommodation, and benefits the environment. There are unique challenges across different student digs, but you can apply many of the same techniques.

For effective waste management in student accommodation, it’s beneficial to have:

• Appropriate bins – as a minimum, it’s best for all students to have access to general waste, dry mixed recycling, and food waste bins. This enables the separation of materials at the point of production and should ensure as much as possible is recycled, composted, and diverted away from landfill.
• Posters – put up posters that explain the environmental benefits of separating and reducing waste where possible. Many students will want to help the environment, and having posters up next to each bin as well as in shared areas may help boost recycling levels.

The end of the academic year, when many students move out, is prime time for waste production. Ideally, as a student, you’ll just use your bins to separate materials as usual and fill within their limits, then take any excess waste items with you.

If you’ve got too much rubbish, then take it to your local household waste recycling centre (HWRC). Don’t leave rubbish behind, as this is irresponsible. Many items could be donated to a local charity shop, listed for free on sites like Facebook Marketplace, or sold online.

The best ways to get rid of student waste at the end of the year can depend on the item:

• Furniture – if you can’t take any items of furniture with you, then consider donating to a local charity. Alternatively, check with the landlord to see if they’ll let you leave it behind or are happy for you to leave it for the next tenants. If you want to make a bit of money, then you can always try and sell it online.
• Bedding – loads of students chuck out bedding as it’s bulky, but you should avoid putting it in a general waste bin as it may go to landfill or be incinerated. When you really can’t take it with you or if it’s damaged beyond use, donate it to an animal charity that may use it as animal bedding.
• Electronics – any broken TVs, laptops, bedside lamps, toasters, or other electronics should be taken to your nearest HWRC. If you have working electronic items you don’t need, then consider either donating or selling them. You can also return to many electronics shops that should accept and recycle them for you.
• Food – you can donate tinned and dry food items to your local food bank. Anything in the fridge or freezer (or with a short expiry date) you should try to use up or just take with you.
• Books – many students end up with academic books they won’t need next year. Hang onto them and pass them down to anyone in the year below who might need them next year. You can also see if any libraries accept them as donations. Alternatively, put them up for sale online.
• Clothes – should you have a clear-out of clothes when you move out, you can donate to charity shops, sell on sites like Vinted, or take them to a clothes bank. Don’t throw them out with general waste, as clothes and textiles can be reused and recycled.

If you’re a private landlord who lets out one or more properties to students, then the end of the academic year can be a chaotic time. Whatever you do, there’s a good chance student tenants will leave items behind, and you’ll have to get rid of them.

These are a few ways to manage any waste from students efficiently as a landlord:

• Remind your tenants – send out a friendly reminder to your tenants to use the bins and not overfill them, which risks a missed collection. Ask them not to leave behind any items they no longer need, as it’s their responsibility to leave the place as they found it. Remind them that costs incurred to remove extra waste after they’ve gone could be taken off their deposit.
• Plan extra waste collections – speak with your tenants and assess how much extra rubbish they might create. Book an extra collection if required to help students get rid of any waste easily, especially if there are a few of them all leaving at the same time.