1 July 2011

Recycling brings £1000 boost for students

The eco-friendly efforts of University of Dundee students over the past year have resulted in a windfall of almost £1000.

The University has been working in partnership with the 'Rag Bag' scheme, which pays organisations for each kg recycled, for the past two years. The recycling carried out by students living in residences over the past 12 months has earned £993 for the Student Halls committee to spend on projects and facilities.

University's Environment & Sustainability Officer Trudy Cunningham today handed over the money raised, as well as a certificate marking the achievement, to Thomas Dale, current Vice-President of Student Welfare at Dundee University Students Association and last year’s President of Belmont Hall residences.

The University operates a Re-cycle & Re-use Scheme which encourages students living in University residences to donate unwanted kitchen stuff, clothing, duvets and other items when they move out at the end of the academic year. Items are then sorted, cleaned and stored for the summer and, when the new students come in September, offered to them free of charge.

Clothing which could not be re-used were sent to Rag Bag, whist duvets were given to dog shelters and unopened food to charities. Rag Bag has been developed to provide regular fundraising for schools, clubs, nurseries and various organisations. The scheme increases awareness about textile recycling and by increasing recycling rates we can help the environment by ensuring less material goes to landfill.

All the materials donated is sorted and graded into various product types before being baled for shipment. Good quality clothing is transported to Africa and other developing nations where old clothes are re-used, while low grade textiles are made into industrial wiping cloths

Dr Iliyan Stefanov, Student Support Worker, praised the students for all their efforts, saying, 'It has been a second year of success for our Re-cycle & Re-use Scheme. Introduced in Spring of 2010 by the Student Support Team in residences, the scheme has already delivered smashing results.

'A great many useful items were donated by students leaving residences in May and, like last year, will be distributed for free to new students in September to save them money and prevent useful stuff ending up as landfill.

'Clothing also went to Rag Bag, and it is fantastic that the students are now being rewarded for their efforts and the money will be used in whichever way the Student Halls committee sees fit.'

For more information or how to participate in the Scheme, please visit: www.dundee.ac.uk/studentservices/supportworker/recycle.htm or contact Dr Stefanov on i.s.stefanov@dundee.ac.uk.

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