University scoops silver at Green Apple Award 2016

The University of Northampton has been recognised in the Green Apple Environment Awards 2016, for efforts to improve its environmental performance, winning the Silver Award in Environmental Best Practice.

The University achieved the Green Apple for continued improvements in waste management including a 514 per cent increase in recycling glass and food recover and sending ZERO waste to landfill for the 4th consecutive year.

Simon Pole, Environment Advisor commented: “Over the last ten years, the University of Northampton has been working extremely hard to make improvements to the way in which we use and manage our resources and widen the variety of opportunities for staff and students to be involved in environmental improvements and projects. I’m delighted that efforts across the University have been recognised with the silver Green Apple Award.

“We have achieved this through collaboration with our waste management company and through segregating recycled materials and food. Our waste food collections are used to generate renewable electricity through an anaerobic digestion plant, and a nutrient high fertiliser. This minimises our impact on the creation of methane gases from landfill which contribute towards global warming. Throughout our Halls of residences, we have encouraged our students to get involved in recycling schemes; we recently scored 8.7 out of 10 in an NUS audit of recycling behaviours.”

The awards are organised by The Green Organisation – an international, independent, non-political, non-profit environmental group dedicated to recognising, rewarding and promoting environmental best practice around the world.

The Green Apple Awards are supported by the Environment Agency, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Chartered Institution for Wastes Management and other independent bodies.