Sustainability Guidance for Students and Staff

Electronic waste (e-waste) includes discarded electrical and electronic equipment such as laptops, monitors, printers, mobile devices, cables, and printing consumables. It also includes waste generated through printing processes and short-life hardware replacement cycles. Proper management is essential to reduce environmental impact and recover valuable materials.

Reduce e-waste at source

• Only request or purchase IT equipment when necessary
• Choose durable, repairable devices with longer lifespans
• Avoid unnecessary upgrades or early replacement of working equipment
• Share or reuse equipment where possible before buying new

Reuse and extend life of equipment

• Prioritise repair and refurbishment over replacement
• Reassign unused equipment to other users or departments
• Use internal reuse or redistribution systems where available
• Ensure devices are securely wiped before reuse

Responsible disposal of IT equipment

• Do not dispose of electrical equipment in general waste bins
• Use approved University IT disposal and recycling routes only
• Ensure all devices are securely data-wiped before collection or recycling
• Return redundant equipment promptly rather than storing it unused

Sustainable printing practices

• Print only when necessary and avoid unnecessary hard copies
• Use double-sided (duplex) printing by default
• Reuse scrap paper for drafts or internal notes where appropriate
• Recycle used paper through designated recycling streams
• Reduce printer usage by sharing digital documents and using cloud collaboration tools

Consumables and peripherals

• Recycle printer cartridges and consumables through approved schemes
• Avoid stockpiling outdated or unused peripherals (e.g. cables, adapters)
• Use refillable or longer-life consumables where possible

Data security and compliance

• Ensure all devices are securely wiped in line with University IT procedures before reuse or disposal
• Do not attempt to dispose of equipment containing sensitive data without IT approval

Why it matters

Reducing e-waste conserves raw materials, reduces landfill and incineration impacts, and lowers the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing new equipment. Responsible management also supports compliance with environmental regulations and contributes to a more circular, resource-efficient University.