Waste minimisation at a Welsh university: A viability study using choice modelling

The Welsh Assembly Government has a commitment to a Wales-wide strategy for action on education for sustainable development and global citizenship. The strategy calls for Higher Education Institutions in Wales not only to incorporate sustainability into teaching and research activities, but also to put these principles into practice by minimising their overall resource use to sustainable levels. In this context, the study reported here considers opportunities for waste minimisation within Swansea University, in Wales. Research focuses on the viability of reducing waste from disposable drinks containers through the promotion of a refillable cup scheme. A choice experiment is employed to determine staff and student preferences, and a positive response towards the use of reusable cups is evident. Knowledge is gained as to the central influence of financial incentive on the uptake of this environmental action. Results indicate that a waste minimisation scheme in the form of a refillable cup campaign at Swansea University is indeed viable, and has every potential of proving successful if implemented under the recommendations of this study.