waste

waste handling at aau

More and more people have become accustomed to sorting waste at home. These good habits must be continued as a natural part of the study and working life at AAU. During the fall of 2020, central waste sorting will be introduced around Campus Esbjerg, Copenhagen and Aalborg. At the same time, the individual office waste bins are phased out.

Central waste sorting allows you to sort into several categories / waste fractions, such as metal, plastic, bio, cardboard, paper, glass, textile, flamingo and residual waste, as well as food and food cartons and hazardous waste. Several waste categories may apply, which is why it is possible to make separate agreements with Campus Service for collection.

Where can I find the new waste bins?

The new waste bins are located in central locations in each building such as common areas, main entrances, by auditoriums and by kitchens. Plastic, bio and residual waste are sorted in the waste bins in the central areas. The paper waste is sorted for recycling in the printer compartments. The remaining waste categories are sorted in the rooms dedicated for waste handling.

Where can I find the rooms dedicated for waste handling?

You must sort and bring your cardboard box and flamingo packaging into the waste bin yourself. The rooms dedicated waste handling are located close to each building, either inside or outside.

Together we will ensure effective waste sorting at AAU

The increased sorting of our waste enables AAU to send the pure waste categories for recycling. We are constantly expanding categories and guides for sorting on this page. Please contact us directly by email: bygaalborg@adm.aau.dk for more information or inquiries about the sorting.

If you find an error in one or more of the sorted categories, e.g. that a paper container has been destroyed with food waste, you can advise Campus Service via the AAU Building Support app - download it HERE. With your tip, we in Campus Service have the opportunity to save the waste category so that most of it can be recycled - thanks! We appreciate your contribution.

waste fractions

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Bio and food waste
The following products must be included in the bio / food waste sorting category:
- Food waste, raw and cooked
- Rice, pasta and breakfast products
- Meat, fish and bones thereof
- Bread and cakes
- Fruit and vegetables
- Spreads
- Eggs and eggshells
- Nuts and nutshells
- Coffee grounds and coffee filters
- Tea leaves and tea filters
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Cardboard
It is important that the paper and cardboard your sort is clean and dry, to ensure the most possible recycling of our waste.

The following clean products must be placed in the cardboard container:
- The paper tube from kitchen towel and toilet paper
- Boxes from eg. dishwashing, egg trays, energy-saving bulbs, batteries, etc.
- Shoe boxes
Postcards Tape, staples, labels, etc. may well stay on the cardboard.

If you have waste composed of several different materials or, if in doubt, please use the container for residual waste.
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Glass
It is important that the glass you sort is clean glass, to ensure as much recycling as possible of our waste. Therefore, please rinse your glass container before sorting it as glass. Although using water to rinse the glass clean, it is better for the environment than producing a completely new glass of raw materials. However, please only use the amount of water it takes to get the glass clean. Although there may be some dirt left in the glass after rinsing, the glass will still be recyclable.

The following clean products must be placed in the glass container:
- All types of glass and bottles - both coloured and clear glass - with the exception of brown glass for laboratory use
- Whole bottles, household and drinking glasses and glass shards thereof
- Remember to sort lids and glass separately
If you have waste composed of several different materials, or if you are in doubt, please use the container for residual waste.
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Metal
It is important that the metal you sort are pure metal products, to ensure the best possible recycling of our waste. Therefore, please wash your tuna and mackerel can before you sort it as metal. Even if you use water to wash the metal can, it is better for the environment than producing a completely new can of raw materials. However, use only the amount of water required to clean the can.

The following clean products must be placed in the metal container:
- Tuna and mackerel cans
- Pure tinfoil
- Metal cutlery
If you have waste composed of several different materials, or if you are in doubt, please use the container for residual waste.
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Paper
It is important that the paper you sort is clean and dry, to ensure the best possible recycling of our waste.

The following clean products must be placed in the paper container:
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Promotions
- Envelopes
- Office Paper
- Wrapping Paper
- Books
If you have waste composed of several different materials, or if you are in doubt, please use the container for residual waste.
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Plastic waste
It is important that the plastic you sort is pure plastic, to ensure the greatest possible recycling of our waste. Therefore, you need to clean your plastic before sorting it.

Please rinse your plastic before sorting. Even if you use water to rinse the plastic clean, it is better for the environment than producing a completely new product from raw materials. However, use only the amount of water it takes to get your plastic clean. Although there may be some dirt left after rinsing, it will still be reusable.

The following clean products must be placed in the plastic container:
- Containers and cans from dishwashing and milder cleaning agents, boxes / containers for storing food
- Plastic trays and bags from food, drink cans and plastic bottles without a deposit
- Serving and storage bowls made of plastic
- Plastic bags also the small ones from e.g. sweets
- Wrapping plastic from
- Bubble Wrap
- Plastic films
- Cutlery made of plastic
If you have waste composed of several different materials, or if you are in doubt, please use the container for residual waste.
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Polystyrene
It is important that the polystyrene sorting is a clean and dry sorting, to ensure the most possible recycling of our waste.

THE FOLLOWING CLEAN PRODUCTS CAN BE PLACED IN THE POLYSTYRENE CONTAINER:
- Clean polystyrene from packaging (eg furniture, white goods)
- Jackopor
- Styrolite
- Styrofoam
- Sundolitt
- Transportation boxes
- Thermoboxes / Refrigerators
- EPS insulation
- EPS type plastic (expanded polystyrene)
- Food packaging of EPS, cleaned, eg foam trays
- Thermal cups of EPS, cleaned
- Polystyrene chips
If your polystyrene comes from a tray of meat, it is residual waste as it has been in contact with food and therefore is not clean.

If you have waste that is composed of several different materials, or if you are in doubt, please use the container for residual waste.
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Residual waste/general waste

Residual waste is the sorting category reserved for everything that you cannot recycle by sorting in the other containers.

You may be in doubt, if you sort your waste correctly. If in doubt, it is better to throw your waste in residual waste than to sort it incorrectly, as you could then risk destroying an entire waste sorting category that suddenly cannot be recycled.

Waste, which is composed of several different materials that are not separable, must be in the container for residual waste.

Residual waste must be able to burn

Everything that comes in residual waste must be able to be incinerated. That is the main rule. Therefore, it is clearly the best to recycle glass and metal in the correct waste categories, since both metal and glass require a lot of energy to burn. Impure sorts, such as napkins with leftover food, a pizza tray with oil slick or wet paper belong in residual waste, as they are no longer pure paper or cardboard products.