At King's, we aim to recycle 60% of our waste.

Recycling correctly can have significant positive environmental impact. Not only does it save resources, it also saves energy needed in producing items such as plastic bottles or drink cans.

You can help us achieve our target by following our Waste A-Z to learn about how to dispose of common waste types at King's. 

Waste A-Z 

Aerosols

Reduce: Opt for roll-on deodorants or pump sprays which use less packaging and are easier to recycle.

Reuse: Consider creative DIY projects to repurpose empty cans, such as using them as holders for small items.

Recycle: Check with local recycling guidelines. Empty aerosol cans can often be recycled with metals, but only if fully emptied and depressurized. 

Which bin? Deodorant cans, air fresheners and spray paint are seen as potential hazards by some recycling facilities and should be placed in general waste.

Aluminium

Reduce: Buy products in bulk to minimize the use of individual aluminium cans.

Reuse: Use clean aluminium foil sheets for crafting or household tasks like lining pots for easy cleaning.

Recycle: Ensure all aluminium cans are clean and empty before placing them in mixed recycling bins.

Which bin? Aluminium cans are a valuable resource and should always be disposed of in mixed recycling bins. Aluminium foil should be placed in general waste.

Batteries

Reduce: Switch to rechargeable batteries to cut down on waste and save resources.

Reuse: Some stores and libraries have battery donation programs for partially used batteries.

Recycle: Use the designated battery recycling bins across King’s campuses to ensure proper disposal.

Which bin? Place used batteries in the special bins here:

• Denmark Hill – Receptions of David Goldberg Centre; Henry Wellcome Building; Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre; Addiction Sciences Building; Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.
• Guy’s – New Hunt's House security and Hodgkin Building security.
• Strand – Receptions of Strand Building; Macadam Building; Maughan Library; Virginia Woolf Building.
• Waterloo – James Clark Maxwell Building welcome desk and opposite G.20, Franklin Wilkins Building

Bags

Reduce: Carry reusable cloth bags instead of opting for paper bags at stores.

Reuse: Use old paper bags for crafts, wrapping gifts, or as compost liners.

Recycle: Toss paper bags into mixed recycling bins if they are clean.

Which bin? Clean paper bags should be placed in mixed recycling, soiled ones could go in general waste. For plastic carrier bags, see plastic bags.

Books

Reduce: Use e-books or borrow from libraries to reduce the demand for physical copies.

Reuse: Donate books to local charities, give them away within your department or take part in the King’s book swap programs.

Which bin? If necessary, place it in the mixed recycling bin.

Bulky items

Please see furniture

Cables

Reduce: Minimise cable clutter by choosing wireless or multipurpose devices.

Reuse: Repurpose old cables as plant ties, upcycle them into various products or donate them to e-waste charities.

Recycle: Which bin? Dispose of cables via WEEE recycling or e-waste bins available on campus. See WEEE pages for more information on collections.

Cans

Reduce: Opt for drinks in glass bottles or reusable containers when possible.

Reuse: Use cans for DIY plant pots or pen holders.

Recycle: Rinse cans thoroughly before putting them in recycling bins.

Which bin? Both steel and aluminium cans can be recycled, and unless specific bins are available, they should be placed in mixed recycling. Cans should be empty before disposal.

Cardboard

Reduce: Avoid excessive online shopping to minimise cardboard waste.

Reuse: Turn old boxes into storage containers, playhouses, or compost material.

Recycle: Which bin? Recycle in mixed recycling bins.

• Please make sure to flat pack boxes – to save space in the bin and ensure they are not taken out in the sorting process.
  
  
• We now have cardboard balers available at some buildings – if you are disposing of a large quantity of cardboard, please speak to a member of your local campus operations team.

Cartons

Reduce: Choose larger cartons over single-use portions to minimise waste.

Reuse: Rinse and use them as DIY seed planters for your garden.

Recycle: Flatten your cartons to save space and place them in bins.

Which bin? Food and drinks cartons such as tetra paks should be placed in mixed recycling bins.

Cartridges

Reduce: Switch to digital documents to print less and use ink more efficiently.

Reuse: Refill your printer cartridges instead of buying new ones.

Which bin? Please use the printer cartridge bins across King's campuses. If cartridge bins are not available at your site, take or send used printer cartridges to your local post room for recycling.

CDs/DVDs

Reduce: Stream or download your media to cut down on physical discs.

Reuse: Turn CDs into creative coasters or dazzling DIY decorations.

Recycle: Which bin? Drop them in designated WEEE collection points for proper recycling. Please see the WEEE pages for more information on collections.

Chemical Waste

Reduce: Use only the required amount of chemicals to limit leftovers.

Reuse: Share unused but safe chemicals with others in your lab or office.

Which bin? Please refer to the information on the Health & Safety pages.

Clinical Waste

Reduce: Plan carefully to avoid overuse of single-use medical supplies.

Reuse: If safe and permissible, use washable gowns or tools.

Recycle: Segregate clinical waste for specialised disposal and energy recovery.

Which bin? Please refer to the information on the Health & Safety pages.

Clothes/Textiles

Reduce: Embrace a capsule wardrobe with versatile, high-quality clothing. Prefer thrifting over buying new products, boycott fast fashion brands such as Shein.

Reuse: Wear what you own for as long as you can, try DIYing new styles on older garments and repurpose to the fullest! Donate clothes to charity or swap them with friends.

Which bin? Drop off old textiles at designated recycling hubs. Clothes and textiles in good condition can be placed in on-street clothes/textiles recycling bins. Check your local council websites for more information.

Coffee cups

Reduce: Use a reusable coffee cup to save money and the planet.

Reuse: Some disposable coffee cups can double as seed starters for small plants—just poke a hole in the bottom for drainage.

Recycle: Place them in special coffee cup bins, where available, to ensure they’re recycled properly. Find out more about the Simply Cups recycling process here.

Which bin? Where no special coffee cup bins are available, place disposable coffee cups in general waste. Due to the waterproof polyethylene lining bonded to the cardboard, they need specialist processing and cannot be recycled through standard mixed recycling streams.

Computers

Reduce: Opt for cloud storage to reduce the need for new devices.

Reuse: Upgrade components instead of replacing the entire computer.

Recycle: Use WEEE recycling points for safe disposal of computers.

Which bin? See WEEE pages for more information on collections.

Confidential paper

Reduce: Go digital to minimise the need for printed confidential documents.

Reuse: Use shredded paper as packing material or compost filler.

Which bin? Place shredded paper in designated confidential paper bins.

Construction waste

Reduce: Plan construction projects to minimise excess material.

Reuse: Salvage bricks, wood, or fixtures for future projects.

Recycle: Separate materials into designated bins for specialised recycling.

Which bin? Please refer to the Health & Safety pages for information on Site Waste Management Plans.

Crisp / Sweet Wrappers

Reduce: Choose snacks with biodegradable or recyclable packaging.

Reuse: Make DIY crafts like coin pouches or bookmarks.

Which bin? The materials these are made from are not recyclable, as it is but a mix of foil and plastic, so these should go in the general waste. A good test if you’re unsure is to scrunch it up in your fist – if it doesn’t stay scrunched but pops back, then it isn’t foil and should go in general waste bin.

Use specialised bins for non-recyclable plastics where available.

Crockery

Reduce: Invest in durable, high-quality crockery that last longer to avoid frequent replacements. Repair small cracks using food-safe adhesives.

Reuse: Chipped plates and broken ceramics can be upcycled into mosaic art, garden decorations, or even unique jewelry.

Recycle: Check the material of your crockery. Unlike glass, broken crockery can’t be recycled in standard recycling bins because it's made from ceramics, which melt at a much higher temperature.

Which bin? Place broken ceramic crockery in general waste.

D

Deodorant cans

See aerosols

Drink cartons

See cartons

E

Electronics

Reduce: Buy multipurpose devices to cut down on electronics ownership.

Reuse: Sell or donate old electronics that are still functional.

Which bin? Use WEEE bins or e-waste collection services for safe disposal.

Envelopes

Reduce: Use digital communication to cut down on paper mail.

Reuse: Save envelopes for scrap paper or storage.

Which bin? Place paper envelopes in mixed recycling bins and padded envelopes in general waste.

Fabric

See clothes/textiles

Food cans

See cans

Food cartons

See cartons

Food packaging

Reduce: Choose unpackaged or bulk-buy items when shopping.

Reuse: Use containers or jars for storage instead of disposable food packaging.

Recycle: Rinse and recycle clean plastic, cardboard, or metal packaging as per local guidelines.

Which bin? Soiled food packaging should be placed in general waste. Clean and dry packaging should be placed in specific recycling bins.

Food waste

Reduce: Plan meals and buy only what you need to avoid leftovers.

Reuse: Turn scraps into compost or use them to make veggie stock.

Recycle: Food waste is segregated from our catering operations, which is sent for anaerobic digestion.

Which bins? Where food waste bins are available, any food waste should be removed from packaging and placed in these bins. Food waste caddies are now available in most buildings. Food waste accepted include:

• Plate scrapings
• Peelings
• Tea bags
• Coffee grounds
• Fruit & vegetables
• Meat and fish (both cooked and uncooked, including bones)
• Dairy products (no liquids)
• Eggs
• Bread
• Cakes
• Pasta
• Rice

Fridges/Freezers

See small electrical appliances

Furniture

Reduce: Choose high-quality furniture that lasts longer to cut down on replacements.

Reuse: Post unwanted furniture on platforms like Warp It to give it a second life.

Recycle: Contact Estates & Facilities Service Desk if you need any existing furniture picked up and properly recycled.

Which bin? Besides the Estates team, use Warp It – an internal reuse platform for King's staff, where members across the university can post and claim furniture and research equipment. For more information, please visit the Warp It pages.

Gas cylinders

Reduce: Return gas cylinders to suppliers when empty for reuse.

Reuse: Use refillable gas cylinders whenever possible.

Which bin? Cylinders that are no longer required should be returned to the supplier. Please refer to the Health & Safety pages for further information.

Glass

Reduce: Buy beverages in bulk glass bottles to reduce packaging waste.

Reuse: Empty jars can be repurposed as storage containers or quirky vases.

Recycle: Pop clean glass bottles and jars in glass recycling bins and leave the cap on!

If you are planning an event in your office and know there will be a significant amount of glass waste, please get in touch with the Estates & Facilities help desk at ask@kcl.ac.uk to arrange a collection. All colours are accepted, and they are sorted after collection.

Which bin? Glass bottles and jars should be placed in glass waste bins where available. Where no glass bins are available, glass bottles and jars should be placed in general waste. Glass types not accepted in glass waste bins are window glass, car glass, glass from light bulbs or fluorescent tubes, or any other type of tempered or chemically treated glass.

Gloves

Reduce: Use washable gloves for non-hazardous tasks.

Reuse: Repurpose gloves for cleaning or gardening if uncontaminated.

Which bin? Uncontaminated plastic and rubber gloves should be placed in general waste. For gloves in labs, please refer to the Health & Safety pages.

Green waste

Reduce: Avoid over-purchasing plants and flowers to reduce waste.

Reuse: Repurpose trimmed stems or fallen leaves as mulch for your garden. Look into composting all green waste.

Which bin? Dispose of wilted flowers, plants, and other garden waste in the general waste bin, where compost bins are unavailable.

H

Hazardous waste

Reduce: Choose non-toxic alternatives to hazardous materials whenever possible.

Reuse: Look for refillable options for hazardous products like cleaning solutions.

Which bin? For hazardous and clinical waste, please refer to the instructions on the Health & Safety pages to ensure proper disposal at designated facilities

I

Ink cartridges

See cartridges

J

Jars

See glass

Laboratory waste

Reduce: Use reusable glassware or eco-friendly alternatives.

Reuse: Sterilise and reuse equipment whenever possible.

Recycle: Segregate waste and follow proper recycling protocols for lab materials.

Which bin? For information on how to dispose of laboratory waste (including chemical and hazardous waste) at King’s, please refer to the Health & Safety pages.

Laminated paper

Reduce: Avoid laminating paper when a simple printout will do. Instead of laminating, try recyclable paper sleeves, biodegradable coatings, or digital documents to cut down on plastic waste

Reuse: Use laminated sheets as dry-erase boards for lists or reminders.

Recycle: Cannot be recycled with other paper because when paper and cardboard is re-processed at a paper mill, items like laminated paper are counted as contamination due to the plastic used.

Which bin? Laminated paper should be placed in general waste.

Lamps

Reduce: Switch to long-lasting LED lamps to reduce waste.

Reuse: Use replacement bulbs for multi-component lamps instead of discarding the entire unit.

Which bin? Dispose of lamps via WEEE bins or designated recycling services.

M

Magazines

Reduce: Cancel subscriptions to magazines you no longer read and go digital instead.

Reuse: Old magazines make for excellent wrapping paper or craft supplies for collages.

Which bin? Magazines are recyclable paper and should be placed in mixed recycling.

Metal

See cans

Monitors

See small electrical appliances

Nappies

Reduce: Consider using reusable cloth nappies.

Reuse: Some biodegradable nappies can be composted—check product guidelines.

Recycle: Dispose of nappies in designated bins if composting isn’t an option.

Which bin? Where available, nappies should be placed in nappy bins near changing facilities or sanitary bins. Please do not dispose of nappies in recycling bins.

Newspapers

Reduce: Subscribe to digital versions of your favorite newspapers.

Reuse: Use newspapers for wrapping, crafts, or garden mulching.

Which bin? Newspapers are recyclable paper and should be placed in mixed recycling.

Office paper

Reduce: Go paperless by using digital note-taking and storage.

Reuse: Use the back of printed sheets for drafts or notes.

Which bin? Place white office paper in mixed recycling bins or designated paper bins.

P

Paper

Reduce: Print only when necessary and choose double-sided printing to halve paper use. Use digital tools like note-taking apps or e-books to minimise paper reliance.

Reuse: Turn used paper into scrap pads for notes or creative crafts. Use old newspapers or magazines as wrapping paper or for DIY projects.

Which bin? Place clean paper (e.g., newspapers, magazines, office paper, paper bags) in mixed recycling or paper-specific bins. Avoid recycling contaminated paper like tissues, napkins, or paper towels.

Paper clips

Reduce: Use folders or digital organisation tools to reduce the need for paper clips.

Reuse: Straighten and reuse paper clips multiple times.

Which bin? Place them in mixed recycling.

Paper towels/napkins

Reduce: Use washable cloths or hand dryers to cut down on paper waste.

Reuse: Compost used, clean paper towels to enrich your soil.

Which bin? Dispose of them in general waste as they aren’t recyclable.

Phones

Reduce: Hold onto your phone longer by upgrading its software instead of replacing it.

Reuse: Donate old phones to charities or sell them to second-hand retailers.

Which bin? Use the WEEE collection points on campus to safely recycle electronic devices.

Plastic

Reduce: Opt for reusable bottles, straws, and cutlery to cut down on plastic use.

Reuse: Repurpose plastic containers for storage or DIY projects.

Recycle: Ensure plastic bottles, tubs, and trays are clean and dry before placing them in bins.

Which bin? Plastic bottles (including the lid), cups, tubs and trays should be disposed of in mixed recycling bins. This includes empty cleaning product bottles as well as shampoo bottles. Hard plastics, such as toys or food crates are not recyclable, and should therefore be placed in general waste.

Plastic bags

Reduce: Carry a reusable tote bag wherever you go—simple and stylish!

Reuse: Use old plastic bags as bin liners or for storing items around the house.

Recycle: Drop them in specific plastic bag recycling points at supermarkets or designated bins on campus.

Which bin? Plastic bags should be placed in mixed recycling.

Polystyrene

See food packaging

Printer cartridges

See cartridges

Sandwich packaging

Reduce: Bring your own reusable lunchbox to avoid single-use packaging.

Reuse: Use boxes to store small items or as makeshift organizers.

Which bin? Please place them in general waste.

Sandwich boxes should not be placed in mixed recycling as they are composite materials and usually contaminated with food.

Sanitary waste

Reduce: Switch to reusable menstrual products like cups or washable pads.

Reuse: Compost biodegradable options where possible.

Which bin? Please use the sanitary bins available in toilets.

Screens

See small electrical appliances

Shrink wrap

Reduce: Switch to reusable covers or bags for packaging and storage.

Reuse: Save clean shrink wrap for future packaging needs.

Which bin? Shrink wrap should be placed in mixed recycling.

Small electrical appliances

Reduce: Repair small appliances instead of discarding them.

Reuse: Donate functional appliances to thrift stores or shelters. Try opting for refurbished items instead of buying new ones.

Which bin? Use WEEE recycling bins for safe disposal. See WEEE pages for more information on collections.

Staples

Reduce: Use stapler-free options like paper clips or binders.

Reuse: Remove and reuse staples from old documents.

Which bin? Staples do not need to be removed from paper and are recyclable through mixed recycling.

Steel cans

See cans

T

Tea bags

Reduce: Opt for loose-leaf tea to cut down on single-use bags.

Reuse: Used tea bags make great compost or can even be used as a natural fertiliser for plants.

Which bin? Where available tea bags should be placed in food waste bins. If no food waste bins are available, please place tea bags in general waste.

Tetra paks

See cartons

Tin foil

Reduce: Opt for reusable alternatives like beeswax wraps to replace tin foil.

Reuse: Scrunched foil can clean stubborn grime off pots and pans before retiring to recycling.

Which bin? Make sure it’s clean and scrunched into a ball before tossing it into general waste (if local recycling doesn’t accept it).

Toner cartridges

See cartridges

V

Vapes

Reduce: Switch to a rechargeable, refillable vape instead of disposables.

Reuse: Some vape brands offer take-back schemes where you can return used devices for safe disposal or parts recovery. Check with your vape retailer!

Which bin? Never throw vapes in general waste! They contain batteries, plastic, and metal that need proper recycling. Drop them off at battery recycling points or WEEE waste collection sites.

W

WEEE waste (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)

Reduce: Repair or upgrade your electronics instead of replacing them.

Reuse: Donate functional devices to charities or friends in need.

Which bin? Please do not place WEEE waste in general waste or recycling bins. For information on how to dispose of electrical and electronic items at King’s, please visit the WEEE pages.