Recycling isn't the most riveting of topics BUT if you don't want to land yourself with a hefty fine, it's time to get to grips with it.
Live on Campus/the Village/Ty Beck? Click here to find out what you have to do.
Recycling in Swansea
In Swansea, black bags are only collected every fortnight, so recycling properly actually leaves your kitchen a lot less stinky as well as saving the planet.
What day do I put out my bins?
If you live in Uplands and Brynmill, they're collected on Wednesday Morning. If you live elsewhere, never fear! The council website has a handy postcode searcher you can use to find out what day (and what you're allowed) to chuck your stuff out. You can search your postcode here.
Using that postcode search you can also work out which 'week' it is (vital). You can also pick up colour-coded calendars from the SU, on the third floor of Union House. They are really useful, just stick them to your fridge!
GREEN WEEK
During 'Green Week', you can put out GLASS and CANS in one green bag, and PAPER and CARD in a separate green bag. That's it - NO black bags at all. Also - don't put other stuff into the green bags, or get the items mixed up. Because they're see through, the bin men will see, and not collect them.
You can also put out FOOD WASTE (vegetable peelings, the manky bits off mushrooms, mouldy bread etc) in food bags that live in food waste bins. You can order a FREE food waste bin from us, just email Tom our SU Community Officer at community@swansea-union.co.uk. This is dead handy, because if you put it all in a black bag, it then has to sit in your house for 2 weeks getting really stinky.
CARDBOARD can be put out in Green Week too - just sqush it flat and pop your green bags on top of it. Easier than shredding it up to fit it in the green bags, which is what I did once, doh.
Black bags won't get collected, and then the scabby seagulls will peck the bags to death and before you know it, your street will look like a post-apocolyptic scene and your neighbours will be pretty angry at you.
PINK WEEK
During 'Pink Week', your black bags will get collected. Repeat, this is the only week they will get collected!
So all your NON-RECYCLABLES in the black bag, and all your PLASTIC in the pink bags. That can include any clean food wrappers, washed out shampoo bottles, washed plastic milk cartons, supermarket bags etc etc. Just a note - they don't like crisp packets. You have to put them in a black bag.
Food waste can be collected every week, yay! FOOD WASTE (vegetable peelings, the manky bits off mushrooms, mouldy bread etc)is put in food bags that live in green food waste bins. You can order a FREE food waste bin and some bags (they smell like biscuits, dunno why) from us, just email Tom our SU Community Officer at community@swansea-union.co.uk, stating whether you want a big one or a small one, and give him your address.
Wow Charlotte, this is so interesting and fun. Where can I get these super cool binbags?
Amazing, I'm so glad someone else finds bins as exciting as me, maybe we should start a club!
The SU has a massive pile of pink, green and little food waste bags just crying out for a home, so come and collect as many as you want 9-5 weekdays from the SU Offices, third floor of Union House (across the bridge from Fulton House). Turn left once you've finished wheezing up the stairs, just past the lift.
And, like I said earlier, you can order a food waste bin from Tom no problem, and it'll get delivered to your door. Pretty neat.
Any questions? Head over to the Council's website, where you can find hours of entertaining literature about recycling:
Recycling on university property is pretty easy.
CLEAR BAGS
Clear bags take all recycables, so TIN, PAPER, CARD and PLASTIC. That includes crisp packets too, which is handy. Glass can't be collected with the recycling unfortunatley, but there are glass recycling bins opposite the halls and in the Village by the Tennis Courts.
BLACK BAGS
All your non-recyclables go in the black bags, pretty standard. Your food waste also goes in here.
Where do I get these bags?
If you need more of either type of bag, go to the main residential office. For campus, that's in Preseli, and for the Village, it's the bulding next to the Spar, opposite the Wonky Sheep. For Ty Beck, it's the little building at the front where you collect your mail.
Any questions? Best to talk to someone in your Uni Residence Office, a Uni Welfare Warden or your SU Residential Officer. They'll be able to point you in the right direction.