Waste, recycling and circularity
Waste and recycling
Our waste management is compliant according to all current statutory legislation and audited through the ISO14001 management system.
Recirculating materials and minimising waste is embedded across our operations and within our teaching and learning. For example:
- we encourage students to use sustainable materials in their projects
- we champion the use of recycled materials and degree shows should design according to the principle of 'building for deconstruction’ so the materials can be reused
- we have been piloting an environmental assessment framework in our technical workshops which includes the recirculation of waste within our workshop spaces
- students have access to re-use units to encourage waste reduction and material reuse
- materials can be re-used, re-purposed or repaired at the Central Saint Martins SWAP SHOP
- Camberwell College of Arts have launched a Repair Café to foster a culture of repair
- sustainability has also been at the heart of our Grayson's Robes competitions.
Material circularity
UAL's Social Purpose Lab conducted a research project from December 2023 to October 2024 in which they examined the state of play around the topics of material reuse and circularity in regards to courses across UAL.
The report explores the various barriers that inhibit circular principles and approaches from being embedded systemically across all of UAL's teaching and practice.