Leafield Environmental

Leafield Environmental, a Silver EAUC Company Member, has been developing ideas and building strong relationships with universities and Colleges in recent years, including Greenwich, Coventry, Loughborough and Bath Spa.

How Leafield works within UK Tertiary Education

Leafield has been developing ideas and building strong relationships with universities in recent years, including Greenwich, Coventry, Loughborough and Bath Spa.

Our flagship Meridian recycling bin was born because Greenwich University couldn’t find an ‘off the peg’ solution suitable for its diverse mix of faculty buildings. The Meridian offers up to three waste streams in one compact flat-backed unit which takes up much less space than individual recycling bins. The bin can with adapted with waste apertures to fit the needs of different locations from lecture theatres and classrooms to libraries and kitchens.

Universities and Colleges like to work with us because we listen and provide support from first brief and design stage through to installation.

How Education has changed since Leafield have been working with it

Sales of our recycling bins to Higher and Further Education premises has increased by more than 1000% in the past year reflecting the importance of efficient waste management as part of the sector’s wider sustainability strategy.

A change in funding structures and extra competition to attract UK and overseas students is also driving a significant investment in campus facilities and student halls of residence. Traditionally, our recycling bins have been a feature in faculty buildings and office areas but now we are also working on exciting new projects to develop unique space saving concepts for student accommodation.

How Leafield is catering for these changes

We are letting institutions know we are here to help using tactical marketing and networking through consortiums and sustainability bodies such as EAUC. Many of our enquiries come through word-of-mouth recommendations and more than 2000 Meridian and Mini-Meridian bins have already been installed in institutions up and down the country since they launched in 2012. 

The Meridian range is just one success story, Leafield recently teamed up with Bath Spa University as part of its commitment to the EcoCampus scheme to develop a ‘bag free’ recycling bin. The EcoAce looks great in any modern setting and can be made from 95% recycled plastic.

Sustainability; a continuing important theme for the future

Sales of recycling bins reached a record high in 2013 and show no signs of slowing down. Our Envirobin 100 is still the most popular product for the Tertiary Education market supported by a healthy 50% growth in sales the past two years.

Institutions are becoming more aware of the impact their operations have on the wider community and employing tactics to reduce their carbon footprint. There are significant environmental benefits as well as cost savings to be made by cutting the volume of waste going to landfill. Installing a more efficient waste management system with clear signage can drive up recycling by more than 50% in just a few months.

Big picture approach to recycling pays off at new learning centre

Leafield Environmental has developed an internal recycling bin for Bath Spa University’s newly opened state-of-the art learning centre. The stylish SteriBin is a functional pedal-operated unit which blends seamlessly with the modern look and feel of the building.

Leafield Business Development Manager Vince Wright said: “Bath Spa’s sustainability team contacted us in the early planning stages to ask for help to develop a bespoke recycling solution to complement the contemporary building design.”

The SteriBin has integral pedals and wheels for easy transit to collection points and can be produced in a range of colours. The WRAP compliant vibrant lids can suit up to eight different waste streams and each bin can hold up to 65L capacity with an optional plastic liner. The handle was added to allow easy access to the bins for wheelchair users unable to operate the pedal.

“This is the second recycling bin Leafield has developed for Bath Spa University for faculty buildings and office areas but now we are also working on exciting new stacking bin to save space in student accommodation,” he said.

For more information about our bespoke design service contact:

Main Contact Name: Vince Wright
Main Contact Email & Telephone: vince.wright@leafield-environmental.com and 01225 816541
Further information/website: www.leafieldrecycle.com www.leafielddirect.com
Share with us: www.twitter.com/Leafield_enviro

Find out more about Leafield on the Green Directory

Note to editors:
• Universities are putting waste management at the top of the agenda to maximise significant environmental benefits as well as cost savings. Installing a more efficient waste management system with clear signage can drive up recycling rates by more than 50% in just a few months.