45 Additional Garbage Sorting Containers Placed in the Buildings of the University of Latvia

“The University of Latvia has embarked on the way to a zero-waste university,” said Renārs Kairis, head of the UL Eco-Council. “Currently we are improving the access to garbage sorting in the buildings of the UL, and we are planning to run a pilot project soon in the student hostel at Tālivalža iela, with a view to facilitate responsible treatment of resources not only at the workplace and on the study premises, but also at the students’ temporary place of residence, ensuring the continuity of this habit.”

Multi-purpose garbage containers intended for discarding paper, plastic and metal waste for further recycling in one bin, food remnants – in another bin and household garbage – in the third bin have been placed in several places.  

• In UL House of Nature (Jelgavas ielā 1), in total 17 new containers have been installed, of which on every floor two sorting containers are placed and two containers in the library, one – on the ground floor and one more – on the floor of the reading-room.
• In UL House of Science (Jelgavas ielā 3) in total 14 new containers have been installed, two on each floor of the building.
• In the UL building at Raiņa bulvāris (Raiņa bulvāris 19) in total 14 new containers have been installed: in the lobby on the ground floor, in the cloakroom, in the lounge and near the premises of the UL Student Council as well as on other floors – for the needs of the students and staff of the Faculty of Computing, the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Theology. 

The new garbage sorting containers can be used for sorting, firstly, paper, plastic and metal packing in order to recycle the waste and conserve the natural resources, secondly, biologically degradable waste that can be transformed into biogas or compost, and thirdly, household waste.

“We encourage the UL community to sort waste every day in their place of study or work and thus conserve the natural resources and help recycle the garbage, because correctly sorted waste can be transformed into new products reducing the demand for such raw materials as wood, gravel, stone, metal ore, petroleum etc., and the use of water and energy resources,” said Eva Borska, Head of UL Student Council.

The two main principles that should be observed while sorting waste in the container for mixed packing, such as paper, plastic, and metal, are: to clean and to flatten! Firstly, make sure that the packing is clean and not greasy. If there are any remnants of food on it, the packing should be rinsed before discarding. Secondly, the packing should be flattened before disposing to make more room for sorted waste. In  the container for mixed packing it is allowed to place paper, plastic and metal, writing-paper, books, newspapers, cardboard boxes,  and packing, metal canisters, tin cans, household metal waste – bottle stoppers and lids, PET bottles, PET canisters, membranes (LDPE), and bags. Remember that it is strictly forbidden to put into these containers disposable crockery, foam plastic, foil, household waste, food, electric appliances, electric bulbs, batteries and medical products.

The biologically degradable waste containers can be used for discarding dry remnants of food  without packing and green waste that can be effectively transformed into biogas or compost, including vegetables and fruit, rinds and cores; egg-shells, cheese, curds; raw or cooked meat and fish, including bones, tea and coffee dregs, cut and wilting flowers; tree leaves and small twigs, garden plants, roots, weeds and sprouts.   

Garbage can be sorted also in the containers installed last year in the UL building at Aspazijas bulvāris: on the ground floor – for batteries, paper and household waste; on floor 1 – for paper and household waste, on floor 2 – two containers for paper and two – for household waste, on floor 3 – two for paper and two for household waste, on floor 4 – two for paper and two for household waste, and in the courtyard – for glass, plastic, paper and household waste.

In order to facilitate sorting of textiles, at Jelgavas iela, between the buildings of UL House of Nature  and UL House of Science, already since the year 2022, a free-standing red container for sorting textiles  has been made available by the waste collecting company Eco Baltia vide. Everyone is invited to place into the textile container their discarded yet clean clothes, footwear, home textiles, such as curtains, blankets, bed sheets, tablecloths etc. It is prohibited to place into the container dirty clothes, items or their cuttings that are soiled with household chemicals or oils, wet, musty or torn.

Introduction of garbage sorting at the University of Latvia is one of the activities of the UL Eco-Council facilitating sustainable lifestyle in the University community.

The UL Eco-Council is the joint initiative of the UL Student Council, UL Study Development and Management Improvement Programme and the Development Programme of the UL Academic Centre.