Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Our waste and recycling pages provide evidence for the University’s commitment to a new target for ‘Zero Avoidable Waste’ by 2030. We aim to minimise waste ending up in landfill or incineration and to embrace the application of circular economy principles. The management of waste has improved significantly since the baseline year 2010. During 2021 the University worked to increase the proportion of waste going for recycling, composting and anaerobic digestion through providing a wider range of facilities for segregation into individual recyclable waste streams and corresponding internal bin facilities.

Half of the waste is now segregated for recycling on site, with a further percentage separated and sent for recycling off site. There has been significant progress in the reduction of waste on campus, especially with disposable plastics. There is also a focus on making sure items get passed on for reuse where possible. For example, at the end of every academic year we encourage departing students to donate unwanted items to the Cranfield Donate scheme. The donations are donated to local homeless and animal charities.