"The special thing about the University waste system are the washable and reusable color-coded fabric bags we use, which make day-to-day waste disposal by cleaning staff more sustainable," Linke relates. "They have enabled us to eliminate 120-liter plastic bags at almost all University of Bonn locations." The practical five-color pictogram system employed facilitates correct waste disposal by users, Linke notes, being easy-to-grasp visually—another big advantage.
A further innovative idea is the “Hoppla Card”, which Linke explains: “Cleaning staff use these cards to leave users a friendly reminder when they notice incorrect disposal in office areas”. These reminder cards are designed to regularly promote awareness among employees and students regarding correct waste separation.
Responsible staff and students
Getting all university staff and students on board is crucial for the success of our waste management system. “Staff and students need to be aware of their role in ensuring sustainable resource usage,” says Linke, “Their active participation helps us collect recyclable materials, thereby reducing natural resource consumption.” Every bit of waste correctly disposed, Linke emphasizes, promotes resource conservation. “Uncategorized general waste is normally sorted before incinerating to generate energy; modern processes are in place for recycling paper, plastic and other valuable materials,” he comments, which lowers disposal costs in addition to reducing resource consumption: “Disposing of general, unsorted waste costs more than twice the amount to recycle materials.”
Avoiding typical mistakes
Despite having an effective waste management concept in place, people still make mistakes during everyday waste separation. “Incorrect disposal is a recurring problem at waste stations in corridors in particular,” says Linke, who recommends pausing for a moment, despite life’s hectic pace, to make sure you are disposing of your waste correctly, in accordance with the color scheme. Linke also recommends using the “Waste ABC” as information resource and guide: “Just scan the QR code sticker on a waste separation bin, or visit the waste management website.”
He also has a few simple but effective tips for making correct waste separation easier:
- Remove aluminum lids from cups for correct processing in the sorting system
- Do not stack cups inside each other, as the sorting system can only recognize individual forms
Paying attention to such details may not seem important at first, but it does make a big difference for ensuring efficient waste processing.