Shared Responsibility, Real Progress
At PNDC, sustainability is a shared responsibility. Over the past year, significant progress has been made in reducing waste and improving recycling practices across the site, thanks to the leadership of Janette and the Business Support Team, with active engagement from staff across the organisation.
This work directly supports the Climate Change and Social Responsibility Plan of the University of Strathclyde, which sets out four key aims on the path to Net Zero emissions by 2040:
- Tackling climate change, ensuring resilience, and reducing resource use
- Being socially responsible
- Collaborating with others and embedding sustainability across the institution
- Sharing learning and knowledge to support continuous improvement
Simplifying Recycling, Reducing Waste
At the start of 2025, PNDC reviewed its waste and recycling processes to identify opportunities for improvement. While multiple bins for food waste, paper, plastic, and general waste were already in place, further changes were introduced to simplify recycling and save time.
In January 2025, new recycling bins were installed, allowing paper and plastic to be recycled together. This small operational change made recycling easier for staff and contributed to measurable reductions in waste across all categories.
Waste Reduction: Measurable Progress
The impact of these initiatives is clear when comparing year-on-year kilogram data. The percentage reductions are significant, with a 71% reduction in food waste, a 9.95% reduction in recycled waste, and a 14.11% reduction in general waste.
How We Achieved These Results
Working with external partners to divert waste from landfill
Improving internal processes and removing unnecessary steps
Engaging staff, encouraging practical and everyday changes in behaviour
Tackling Food Waste and Helping Plants Thrive 🌳
The Business Support Team has significantly improved the accuracy of food ordering, helping to reduce over-ordering and minimise unnecessary waste.
Staff have also adopted simple habits to prevent food being thrown away, such as covering leftovers and placing them in shared kitchen areas so others can enjoy them later or take them home.
One particularly successful initiative has been coffee-ground recycling. Following a suggestion from PNDC’s whole energy system lead R&D engineer, Dr Priya Bhagavathy , used coffee grounds are now collected and reused by staff on plants at home. A large bush in the PNDC car park has been a clear beneficiary, thriving on its regular supply and visibly outperforming surrounding plants.
Strong Partnerships, Smarter Recycling
Janette worked closely with the University’s waste and environmental teams, including Scott Bryson , to identify reuse and recycling partnerships already in place across the University.
This has led to collaboration with organisations such as CCL (North) Ltd., one of the UK’s leading specialists in IT asset disposal and WEEE ((Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) recycling, and Glasgow Wood, a charity and social enterprise. These partnerships have enabled PNDC to divert materials away from general waste streams and avoid costly skip hire.
CCL (North) Ltd. has supported several large collections, including the free removal of redundant water tanks and an obsolete electric vehicle charger. They have also provided a WEEE disposal bin for technicians’ electrical waste, reducing the amount of electrical equipment entering general waste. To date, the bin has been emptied free of charge, with all items reused, broken down for spare parts, or recycled into base materials and aggregates.
Glasgow Wood collects pallets and other timber materials from Wardpark, which are then stored for bulk uplift at the University. As a charity and social enterprise, Glasgow Wood creates valuable opportunities for people in the local community while diverting usable timber from landfill. Their shop sells a range of hand-crafted, up-cycled products made in Glasgow.
Supporting the Local Community & Reducing General Waste
PNDC has also donated materials to Lennoxtown Nursey. Old cable drums, such as the one pictured, have been repurposed as tables for Play-Doh activities and as equipment for rolling and climbing play. Redundant telephones have found new life in role-play areas, supporting language development, communication skills, and early numeracy through interaction with the phone keypad.
General waste reductions have been achieved through the introduction of new waste streams and additional food-waste collection points, helping to prevent recyclable items from entering general waste. Old printed materials have been securely shredded and recycled, while cupboards, sandbags, and edging kerbs have been repurposed during a tidy-up of the HV yard, avoiding landfill and the need for skip collections. Redundant TV screens are now being reused as information displays for staff and visitors.
Small changes in how we work day to day can make a big difference. By simplifying our processes and working with the right partners, we’ve been able to significantly reduce waste while making recycling easier for everyone. What’s really made this successful, though, is the support and engagement from colleagues across PNDC — it’s been a genuine team effort. We’ve made strong progress, but sustainability is ongoing, and we’re always keen to build on what we’ve learned and explore new ways to do better.
Janette Ferguson
Business Support
Looking Ahead
While excellent progress has been made, there is more to do. Recycling initiatives continue to be promoted across the site, and visitors are encouraged to use the correct recycling bins during their time at PNDC.
The Business Support Team also attends sustainability-focused events and conferences at the University, creating opportunities to share learning with other departments, understand common challenges, and explore practical solutions for further waste reduction.