Waste Management for Schools and Universities – You’re in Safe Hands

A school or university’s top priority is providing a safe and adequate environment for learning. Although waste management isn’t the first thing you think of, it plays an important role in creating a clean and comfortable education facility. Waste management is a necessity that every facility has to handle, and it’s about allowing students and staff to learn and work in a hygienic and inviting environment.

Waste management in schools and universities should be handled by both the education facility itself, and its waste management provider. To make things easy, we’ve put together our three E’s on how to effectively handle waste in your school.

Here’s what you should consider:

Educate:

A school’s waste management practices and solutions are only as good as the people practicing it (and the waste management company providing it comes a close second). That means that it’s the staff and student’s responsibility to make sure rubbish is thrown in the correct bins.

A school should incorporate an efficient waste and recycling system into their policy, and make this known to both staff and students through meetings, posters and general awareness. This should include, not only how to recycle, but why recycling and waste segregation is important for the facility and environment beyond school grounds.

Encourage:

For the convenience of students and staff, it’s important to have an adequate amount of bins around the school. For example, bins should be placed on each floor or level, in every classroom and office space area, and in each section of the outdoor school yard.

It’s a no brainer that this simply encourages everyone to participate in effective rubbish disposal by allowing there to be facilities to do so. It also greatly minimises the chances of people littering.

Evaluate:

Schools should work with their waste management provider on the logistics of handling waste. This includes:

• Budget and costs
• Collection frequencies
• The size of the lift waste bins
• What bins are needed to tackle each stream of waste
• Where to place the different types of bins

Considering that schools and universities are massive facilities, it’s important to implement the most cost-effective waste management solution in their budget. The size of the school will also determine what sizes are required for the lift waste bins and how often the waste gets collected.

Schools and universities produce a number of different waste streams, and this should be considered with what bins are needed and where to put them.

Classrooms should be equipped with regular bins and paper recycling bins.

Libraries need paper recycling bins, mostly. If your school library permits eating, then regular waste bins are required as well.

Admin/Office Space should be equipped with e-waste recycling bins for ink cartridges, paper and cardboard recycling bins, and regular bins.

Cafeterias and Outdoor Yards should have regular bins, food compost bins, and can and hard plastic recycling bins.

Additionally, washroom services are required.

It’s important to tackle every waste stream that schools produce to ensure sustainable disposal practices.

When evaluating the logistics of a good waste management plan, you want to work with a reputable provider. At Nationwide Waste Solutions, we create collaborative, sustainable and cost-effective solutions for your education facility. Speak to one of our waste management experts on 1300 729 922 or request a free quote today.