Waste

Relevance

Waste is generated daily at every workplace of the University of Potsdam, both by employees and students. The university generates waste of various kinds through the university's operations, through construction projects, disposal in the context of remodeling (bulky waste, obsolete furniture) and in connection with the food supply in the dining halls and cafeterias of the Studentenwerk.

Approximately 486 tons of CO2 are produced by the university's waste disposal, which accounts for 2.8% of the university's total CO2 footprint.

Direct influence on waste accumulation and avoidance is possible on the one hand through the (central) procurement of inventory, IT equipment and consumables, and on the other hand through the individual behavior of users (e.g. with regard to the duration and intensity of use of consumer goods).

Current situation

Waste is separated by providing suitable separation systems and by informing and motivating all waste producers to use these systems in an appropriate manner (for example with this overview about waste seperation).

• Employees' offices are equipped with paper bins for paper waste. If you still have a residual waste garbage can with a plastic bag, we ask you to declare it a paper basket in the interest of waste separation. Simply remove the plastic bag and order a sticker with paper sign (angelika.von.pressentin@uni-potsdam.de) to show the cleaning staff that it is now a paper basket. Please only dispose of paper in here from now on. Remember that only waste that is fully separated by university employees is also collected separately by the cleaning staff. Thank you!
• Residual waste and, in some places, packaging waste can be disposed of in the staff kitchens. In some buildings, there are separation bins in the corridors for paper, packaging and residual waste.
• Containers for batteries can be found in the entrance area of each building. Glass and pencils (ballpoint pens and markers) can be deposited for recycling at various locations on campus: Overview for Golm, Neues Palais, Griebnitzsee.
• Members of the University of Potsdam have the option of dropping off hazardous waste at the central chemical depot on a weekly basis (read more here).
•  For furniture as well as toner cartridges and printing modules, there is an internal recyclables exchange
• (Hazardous) waste records, development of the hazardous waste volume 1996 to 2018, hazardous waste reports can be found in the respective environmental reports or the waste statistics

Goals and projects

Increased separate collection of recyclables within the buildings through

•   Educating UP employees and cleaning staff.
•   Provision of separate collectors in the corridors (initially as a pilot project in buildings 1.19, 2.14; 3.01 and 3.06)