Waste disposal: Tilburg University separates waste afterwards
At Tilburg University, you will not find any containers for sorting waste. Yet your waste is processed in a sustainable way. The university collaborates with Van Happen on waste separation at the source of specific waste and the recycling/incineration of separated residual waste with energy recovery.
Post-separation of waste
Post-separation of the large bulk of residual waste takes place at the waste processing company. When bringing the waste together, various separation methods (e.g., magnetism, sieving, wind, air, and modern infrared sorting techniques) are used to remove the various reusable waste fractions from the waste stream before incineration. Metals are recycled and reused, and plastics are reused, for example, for fleece sweaters, benches, and decking.
Advantages of waste separation after collection
- Due to postseparation, less transport is required than in the case of source separation.
- In addition, postseparation removes more plastic from the waste than when people do it themselves at the source.
- The remaining residue, which no longer contains any recyclable fractions, is finally incinerated in an incinerator that drives a turbine that generates electricity (combustion with energy recovery).
Source separation of waste
A small proportion of source separation is done by employees. For example, paper is collected in centrally located paper containers and small hazardous waste (SHW) is collected in office hazardous waste containers. These containers are then emptied and separated by type of SHW by cleaning staff, who store them in a waste depot on campus. They also dispose of the used paper toilet towels via the waste paper stream.
When purchasing contracts are drawn up, agreements are made about taking back used products for recycling, such as lamps and white goods. Other materials, such as wooden pallets and electronics are collected separately by service staff and stored in the waste depot. All sorted, collected source-segregated materials are presented for recycling to the waste processing company and/or supplier.
In this way, Tilburg University strives for a sustainable waste policy.