Waste Principles

According to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scotland produces over 3.3 million tonnes of municipal waste each year, of which over 2.6 million tonnes are collected from households. To tackle this problem in a way that meets the needs of the present, without affecting future generations, means changing our behaviour and our attitudes to waste by adopting a cradle to grave approach.

The University produces hundreds of tonnes of waste every year and pays approximately £300,000 per annum to dispose of it. By reducing our waste produced at source, and reusing and recycling wherever possible, we can greatly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.

To implement effective waste management there are a number of principles developed as part of the National Waste Plan, that should be followed:

• The proximity principle – waste should be treated or disposed of as near as possible to the point where it arises. A good example of this is composting.

• The precautionary principle – this involves taking precautions now to avoid possible environmental damage in the future.

• The polluter pays principle – this means that the polluter should bear the full cost of the consequences of their actions.

• The waste hierarchy – the most commonly known. This principle provides a framework for waste disposal practices as illustrated below.