Join the Waste Race: Bin it to win it!

UCL students living in halls have achieved an impressive 44% recycling rate - that's 11% higher than the London average, but we think we can recycle even more! 

That's why we’re launching UCL’s Waste Race - A competition between halls to recycle the most waste correctly and win a prize of £200 for your hall to spend on an event of your choice! We hope our race will help dispel some of the confusing messages on recycling, with useful information on what you can and cannot recycle in UCL halls. 

We send zero waste to landfill by recovering all non-recyclable materials for energy but recycling whenever possible is still the best choice. Whilst recycling is only a small action, it can have a huge impact on the environment. 

Let’s bin it, to win it and make change possible!  

How it works 

The competition will run from January 15th 2025 to March 15th 2025, and students living in most UCL halls will be automatically part of the competition. 

Note for students living in Arthur Tattersall, Beaumont Court (Unite), John Tovell House, One Pool Street, St Pancras Way (Unite), Stapleton House (Unite), Urbanest King's Cross, and Urbanest St. Pancras: Due to different waste collection systems, these halls are not included in the Waste Race. 

However, your recycling efforts are still vital in building a more sustainable UCL! Every item you recycle contributes to reducing waste and creating positive change. Read our guide on how to make the most out of your recycling at UCL.

List of participating halls

• Astor College  
• John Dodgson House  
• Ian Baker House  
• Frances Gardner House  
• John Adams Hall  
• Schafer House  
• Campbell House East 
• Campbell House West 
• Langton Close  
• Ramsay Hall 
• New Hall 
• Goldsmid House  
• Ifor Evans Hall 
• Endsleigh Gardens  
• Prankerd House  
• Ann Stephenson House  
• Neil Sharp House  
• Max Rayne House  
• Bernard Johnson House 

What's in it for you? 

The hall with the highest recycling rate will be awarded a £200 cash prize! This prize will go towards the Community Event Fund and be used for a fun end of term event organised by your Hall Community Officers. 

Every month, we’ll have an updated leaderboard where you can see where your hall is in the race, ranked by recycling rates. This is calculated by the amount of total recycling divided by the amount of total waste (both general and recycling). 

If recycling bins are contaminated, meaning they have a large portion of non-recyclable items in them, then the whole bag will be counted as non-recycling, and go into incineration. 

Our tips 

Stay ahead in the recycling competition with our top tips! 

1. Check before you chuck: Familiarise yourself with UCL’s recycling guidelines!

2. Only place ‘empty’, ‘clean’ and ‘dry items in your recycling bin. Make sure you clean your bottles, glasses, cans and plastics before recycling them. 

• Biodegradable and compostable packaging unfortunately must go in the black rubbish bin. 
• Coffee cups sadly cannot be recycled, please place them in the black rubbish bin. 
• Tissues, unless clean or dry, should go into the black rubbish bin. 
• Use the dedicated glass recycling bins available in 17 of our halls to free up space in your regular recycling bin -- check if your hall has one!

3. Encourage your hallmates: Talk to your friends, spread the word and get everyone involved. The more people recycling properly, the better your chances of winning!  

4. Track the competition: Keep an eye on your hall’s progress throughout the competition! Check this page every month for updates and see how your efforts are contributing to the leaderboard.  

Together, we can make a lasting impact on our sustainability efforts. Stay in #TheLoop and create a more sustainable future at UCL!  

Who's leading the race? 

Check back at the end of January to see the latest results!