Problem
Managing waste and recycling in flats and student accommodation presents unique challenges, due to high occupancy, transient populations, and limited space. Recognising this, Wrexham County Borough Council partnered with Wrexham University to improve waste management and promote sustainable habits among students.
The collaboration between the Council’s waste strategy officers and the University’s facilities staff began in January 2023 and continues to thrive. The scheme supports students living in Wrexham Student Village, a university accommodation complex with 321 rooms and 47 kitchens.
The initiative aimed to increase food waste recycling, reduce contamination in communal recycling bins, and improve student engagement in sustainable waste practices. By providing targeted infrastructure, clear communication, and ongoing engagement, the collaboration between the Council and the university enabled them to create a more effective and user-friendly recycling collections system.
Solution
Through their collaboration, Wrexham County Borough Council and Wrexham University implemented several key measures to reduce contamination, increase participation, and simplify recycling for students.
To facilitate food waste separation from non-recyclable waste, the Council introduced food waste recycling collections across Wrexham Student Village, providing 47 kitchen caddies and rolls of liners to ensure all kitchens had the necessary infrastructure. Additionally, the University facilities team purchased stackable recycling containers, enabling students to sort dry recyclables more effectively within their shared kitchens.
To tackle contamination, the Council replaced 10 external 1,100-litre recycling bins with refurbished green reverse-lidded models. These restrict the deposit of large incorrect items, such as filled black bags or unsorted waste, helping to improve recycling quality. The design helps prevent users from forcing lids open to add non-compatible items of non-recyclable waste.
These changes were supported by clear visual guidance; kitchen posters matched the colour-coded internal bins, and updated signage and stickers made it easier to distinguish between recycling and non-recyclable waste bins in the external storage area.
Previously, non-recyclable waste bins had been refurbished from standard 1,100-litre bins to those with a “lid within a lid” feature, to reduce litter caused by birds accessing open bins. This helped maintain cleanliness in the compound.
To promote student engagement, the Council’s waste strategy officers attended a series of ‘Thrifty Business’ events held at the Students’ Union bar. These sessions promoted sustainability by offering surplus food, donated household items, and free clothing to those attending. Officers used the sessions to share advice with students in both university and private accommodation, explaining how to use their food waste and dry recycling systems effectively. They distributed food waste caddies and compostable liners, reusable blue bags for recycling cardboard and paper, and information about where to collect replacements locally.
Following these events, the Students’ Union invited Repair Café Wales to take part, reinforcing the campaign’s reuse and waste reduction messaging. During “Go Green Week”, the Council returned with an information stand to further promote recycling. Alongside this, Council officers and facilities staff visited communal kitchens to check how indoor recycling containers were being used and provide face-to-face advice.
From April 2025, students arriving with limited means will be offered “borrow boxes”, containing commonly used, high-quality kitchen equipment. Each box will include measuring tools and recipe cards designed to reduce food waste, thereby supporting sustainable living and avoiding unnecessary waste at the end of term.
Impact
Early feedback suggests positive changes in waste behaviour, including:
- Increased food waste recycling: with four 240-litre bins now in use to collect food waste from student accommodation.
- Reduced contamination and higher quality recyclables: due to the reverse-lid system on communal bins.
- Greater student awareness and participation: driven by direct engagement at Students’ Union events and the use of tailored communication materials.
- Long-term sustainability benefits: with the Students’ Union supporting reuse and repair initiatives, and further trials planned to reduce waste generation.
- Improved aesthetics of the communal bin storage areas: driven by updated containers, signage and bin labels.
By taking a collaborative approach, Wrexham County Borough Council and Wrexham University have created a practical and scalable model for improving recycling in student accommodation. This initiative will be ongoing due to the transient nature of student residents each academic year. The success of these measures highlights the importance of targeted infrastructure, clear communication, and ongoing student engagement in creating more sustainable living environments.