Recycling or Disposal of Printer Cartridges, Batteries, CDs/DVDs, Mobile Phones, IT Equipment, and Waste Electrical Equipment Guidance and information is set out below.
Important Hazardous Waste Information
Many of the following items are classified by Government and the Environment Agency as hazardous and have stricter restrictions placed on how they must be disposed of in a business environment than you may find in a domestic environment. Some items such as CDs and DVD's may take many lifetimes to decompose if they end up in landfill or release toxic fumes if burnt.
Printer Cartridges
A collection point for empty printer cartridges is available in G6a where the Technology and Application Services customer facing service desk staff work, (often referred to as the IT helpdesk). Please ensure your toner cartridge is not disposed of in any other waste stream.
Batteries
There are collection points for recycling used batteries in the following locations:
- In the Main Library(LRC) at the rear of the building.
- Maintenance area (restricted access)
If a battery recycling point is full and needs to be emptied please contact the Maintenance Helpdesk on extension 4036 or email fmhelp@stmarys.ac.uk.
CDs/DVDs
The reduction in CD/DVD use has seen recycling facilities for these become less readily available. As a result the recycling point has been withdrawn and CDs, DVDs and their cases should be disposed of into the general waste stream until an alternate recycling facility becomes available. IMPORTANT: Please do not dispose of discs containing sensitive information without first ensuring complete deletion and/or formatting.
Mobile Phones
There are a number of companies who offer to buy or part exchange your old mobile phone handset. These can then be refurbished for resale or recycled.
Search online for charities or companies who will take your old mobile phone handset and pay you or a charity for it and then reuse or recycle it. These services usually operate through the postal service. Make sure to thoroughly delete your personal data and information from it first.
If you are unable to use one these options your mobile phone should be treated as other waste electrical equipment in line with the WEEE Regulations.
Please do not put mobile phones or their accessories in any other waste stream.
Recycling Electrical and IT Equipment
Legislation called the WEEE regulations, (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), governs the disposal of all electrical items. Due to numerous toxic components these are classified as hazardous waste and as such must not be disposed of in the general waste stream.
Where possible, purchases should be made with the stipulation that old equipment is removed and recycled by suppliers. (This is a standard service provision for many electrical appliance suppliers).
Where this is not possible University purchased electrical equipment can be disposed of using the Hazardous Waste Collection Form. (There may be a charge to your department for this service at the discretion of the service manager).
The Technology and Application Services Department will arrange disposal of IT equipment provided by them as part of their cyclical upgrading of equipment.
This pictogram indicates an appliance, item, or device that must not be disposed of in the general waste stream. It is illegal to dispose of devices carrying this mark in landfill. (The bar beneath the crossed out wheelie bin indicates non-historic WEEE and older WEEE may show the same pictogram without the bar beneath).
Disposal of redundant appliances
Where items need to be disposed of by Estates and Campus Services staff a charge is incurred to cover the disposal cost for large quantities or particularly hazardous items, (such as those containing refrigerants), this will be passed onto the department disposing of the item.
The University does not collect and dispose of electrical items belonging to staff and students who are required to take them home or to a suitable nearby local authority WEEE bin for disposal.
Specialist waste contractors are used for the disposal of University owned waste electrical equipment.
PCs and IT equipment
IT equipment is managed by the Technology and Application Services Department. IT will arrange for safe disposal of PCs and related hardware at the end of their life cycle. Please contact the Technology and Application Services customer service desk at helpdesk@stmarys.ac.uk if you have any queries about IT equipment disposal.
Please see the section on printer cartridges further up for information on how to dispose of these for recycling.
Other Hazardous Wastes
For information or advice regarding the disposal of other waste types that may be considered hazardous please contact the Maintenance Helpdesk on extension 4036 or email fmhelp@stmarys.ac.uk.
Hazardous Waste Collection Requests
To request disposal of University owned appliances or other hazardous waste please complete the Hazardous Waste Collection Form. If you have any queries about this service please contact the Maintenance Helpdesk on ext 4036 or email fmhelp@stmarys.ac.uk.
Please be aware that business waste disposal legislation is often stricter than domestic legislation and it is an offence to deposit hazardous waste in other waste streams at St Mary's.