Circularity

The following circular targets have been set for the six most promising themes:

• Waste management: Create a zero-waste campus, where waste is reduced at the front end and all unavoidable residual streams are reused as raw materials at the back end.
• Real Estate & Facilities: Use detachable bio-based and/or non-virgin materials that can be reused in the future to create a truly carbon-positive campus.
• Building design: Fully commit to products and materials with a low environmental impact and (re)use them for as long as possible.
• Layout of the campus grounds: Maintain a green campus where, in addition to increasing biodiversity and climate adaptation, we apply as much circularity as possible, both in construction and in management and maintenance.
• Food & Beverage: Offer an innovative and sustainable range and inspire guests to make sustainable choices with the lowest environmental impact.
• Personal hardware: Be aware of the environmental impact of everything we use and commit to measurably reducing that impact. 

Where we are now

• Roadmaps have been drawn up for each theme. These roadmaps include short-, medium- and long-term targets to help us achieve the goals we have set for 2050.
• The Food and Beverage department contributes to circularity by offering an innovative and sustainable range of products.
• The procurement policy ‘Inkopen met Impact’ (purchasing with impact) actively contributes to Radboud University's ambition to work towards a circular and climate-neutral university.
• We think carefully about the benefits and necessity of each construction project, when we build we take great care to conserve resources and reduce environmental impact, and our buildings are flexible and future-proof.

Some examples of circularity

• We send written-off data carriers (mobile phones, USB sticks, laptops, tablets, hard drives, PCs) to our regular recycling partner D-Two. D-Two disassembles the data carriers and ensures that the raw materials are processed properly, safely and in an environmentally responsible manner. 60% of the equipment offered to D-Two is reused.
• The Billie Cup is a reusable and exchangeable cup that reduces the amount of disposable waste and creates a more circular campus.
• We are increasingly reusing our furniture within the University.

This is what we are going to do

• The new building for the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Philosophy, Theology, and Religious Studies will be completely circular. The current Spinoza building will be reused for this purpose, and any modifications will also be subject to circular requirements.
• Specific teams and targets have been linked to the roadmaps and implementation is now underway.
• We are considering whether to develop roadmaps for other themes as well.
• We will better inform and motivate our employees, students and visitors to follow the R10 model.
• New waste flows, such as polystyrene (EPS) waste, will be collected separately, and waste scans will be used to determine whether other mono-flows can also be collected separately.
• In the current tender for furniture and removals, circularity is a key factor.

What can you do to help?

• Think about all the products and materials you use or want to buy. Are they really necessary? Could you do without them? Or is there an alternative (for example, reusable cups instead of disposable ones)?
• Can you separate your waste even better? Find out how
• Do you have ideas on how we can reuse materials that currently end up in residual waste? Let us know!
• Talk to your fellow students or colleagues about sustainability. Make them aware of the problem and let them know what they can do to help.
• Choose products (for example, in cafés) that generate the least waste during production and have the lowest environmental impact (such as seasonal vegetables instead of avocado, vegan meat/dairy or chicken instead of beef).