Recycling and waste management sub group

PDR, Penbryn, Wednesday, 4 June 2008, 10.30am

Present: Alan Stephens (AS), Diane Jones (DJ), Joan Rowlands (JR), Nigel Thomas (NT), Neil Weston (NW), Andrew Walker (AW)
Apologies: Roger Matthews, James Brasington, Jenny Mace
In attendance: Anna Bradley (AB)
1.0 / Welcome: AS opened the meeting by thanking all for attending and welcomed Nigel Thomas representing Information services in lieu of Roger Matthews and Anna Bradley in lieu of Haf Lewis. AS explained that HL had relocated to Cardiff.
2.0 / Apologies: Apologies had been received from JB as the meeting clashed with another appointment. RM sent his apologies and had nominated NT as his permanent replacement. JM sent her apologies and was being replaced by Tom Marshall as the Guild of Student representative. AS wished both HL and JM well in their new roles.
3.0 / Minutes of the last meeting
The minutes of the last meeting were approved without amendments.
3.1 / Matters arising
(4.2) Due to legal issues, students would be directed to the local free-cycle website at Aberystwyth.
(9.5) Feedback from Johnny Sweet that the lilac bags had been well received.
(9.6) As HL had left AU, AS had made contact with the print room about the use of recycled paper. The cost / quality benefit was such that new paper from sustainable source was being used. NT added that IS only used recycled paper with consumption between September and April of about a million sheets. This along with double sided printing was considered very positive by the students. AS had discussed with Eryl on the same issue and the cost differential was negligible.
AW suggested to contact John Pierson and John Blake regards a paper sample.
NT offered a sample of recycled paper for distributing to departmental administrators.
(9.8) JM had forwarded details to AW.
6.0 It was confirmed that a sample of output product from the composter had been tested.
7.0 An update on biofuel from used vegetable oil is included on the agenda.
8.0 DJ advised that the Sunday Times Best Green Award would be considered next year as there was not enough time this year. The aim is to consider an application for Spring 2009.
9.1 AS advised that the information on the amount of waste and recycling was included on the agenda. JR advised that the amount of blue bin tags is estimated to have reduced by about 25%. / NT
4.0 / Progress Report on Recycling Issues
AS tabled a progress report on recycling issues, February 2008 – May 2008.
To summarise:
4.2 Waste food from the Underground food outlet in the Students Union is fed into the Rocket Composter.
4.3 Tipping fees for 2008 /09 is confirmed as £100 per tonne plus VAT.
4.5 Glass recycling renewed with Ceredigion Waste Services for a further one year.
4.7 Waste collection agreement renewed with Ceredigion County Council for a further year.
4.8 Recycled mobile telephones and printer cartridges collected by Action Aid has been acknowledged by a certificate. 140 units recycled in 2007.
4.9 As informed that 352 monitors and about 3.5 tonne of redundant IT equipment was sent for reuse and recycling during April and May 2008. Disposal cost for monitors is £3.50 per monitor.
4.10 Over 1 tone of textiles had been collected from campus between November 2007 and the end of March 2008. NT advised that he was not aware of textile recycling facility. Following which a discussion took place around the web pages etc. It was suggested that such successes be forwarded to the Publicity Officer. AS agreed to obtain information for April and May and discuss with Arthur Dafis. / AS
5.0 / Update on Biofuel from Used Cooking Oil
A discussion took place around the pros and cons of using used cooking oil with primary targeted users as IRS and Grounds maintenance in Estates. NW identified storage, waste disposal and cost effectiveness as issues. AS had discussed with Paul Evans in Grounds and the outcome is that it is agreed in principle but there is a resource issue in terms of labour.
AS advised that contact had been made with Sundance Renewables of Cross Hands who collected oil and produced biofuel. At the time of the call, biodiesel was £1.10 collected from Cross Hands.
AS was asked to describe the process of preparing the waste Vegetable oil and the group agreed that the effort for the return at this stage was not worth it and would be considered at a later date with escalating cost of fuel.
6.0 / Waste Audit
As advised that a waste audit undertaken in February 2008 indicated that AU produced around 500 Tonnes of waste per annum and does not include information from the Farms, Students Union, Arts Centre of from Estates Projects. Around 270 tonne (53.8%) is recycled, and 230 tonne, (46.2%) goes as waste.
A discussion followed about waste and recycling from academic buildings to include what was AU doing to improve recycling in department. AW informed that quite a lot had been achieved in the past year or so following the formation of the user group along with the Energy user group specifically targeting energy and water.
NT would like to see the same dedicated recycling sack holders used in Hugh Owen Library being used in public workstation rooms. AS showed the group a picture of the bins that had been referred too. NT liked that the bags were clear showing clearly what the contents is and if there was any contamination.
AS informed that the majority of the initiatives achieved in the past year or so have been achieved at little or no cost along with several thousands of pounds from grant funding from WAG for external recycling banks and the Rocket Composter. The cost of additional recycling activities is from the House Services budget, a little each year.
DJ advised that her office and other offices in the Lord Milford building had recently been provided with paper recycling bins. AS confirmed that 40 office recycling bins had been provided for Gogerddan Campus.
NT advised that the majority of waste from the IT workshop is recycled via Aberystwyth Recycling although they do change their minds about what can be accepted and what is not.
The discussion evolved to talk about electrical items and NT suggested at other Universities a dedicated skip was available for WEEE waste. A WEEE skip on site would be difficult to manage and control what was being deposited.
7.0 / Any Other Business
7.1 NT asked what is the aim of Wastewise as he had not heard of it and DJ explained about the campaign to reduce waste and was primarily driven from reduction of energy and water consumption.
7.2 AW asked from where food was being taken to the Rocket Composter. AS informed that waste food from the Arts Centre kitchen and café, Guild of Students Underground café and commencing this week waste food from Pantycelyn.
JR said that the food was breaking down nicely in the composting process although the product did smell strongly of meat. AS and NW agreed to provide and test a sample of the aged compost stored at Llanbadarn to compare with a previous sample taken earlier in the year. Wormeries were discussed but due to legislation were not suitable for AU.
DJ informed that Estates had recently circulated a questionnaire about energy and had few replies.
AW advised the group that AU his preparing for the ISO14001 standard for Environmental Management with an implementation date within three years.
DJ informed that Mr David Oldham had started work as the AU Energy Manager.
NT started a discussion about involving other public sector organisations such as the National Library and Bronglais Hospital in waste and Recycling issues. AW advised that the intention is to get going and then involve others into the group.
NT suggested involving departments for suggestions and ideas for waste reduction. AW advised that the group was formed from the People and Planet campaign. NW added that the porters at Llanbadarn are very keen on recycling and are proactive in getting the staff on board. AS added that there were several ongoing initiatives to include pallet disposal.
JR suggested a weekly email as a reminder to staff. / AS/NW
AS
8.0 / Date and time of next meeting
9 September 2008 at 10.30am to be held in the PDR, Penbryn
Minutes compiled by AB and AS
Circulation: All present and absent with apologies plus Mr Hugh McConochie.

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