Circular Economy
We are aiming to explore and exploit all avenues for reuse, repair and refurbishment before recycling and recovering materials as a last resort.
We drive progress by rethinking how we use, reuse, and recover resources across campus. Through cross-departmental collaboration and innovative reuse schemes, we reduce waste, extend the life of materials, and promote responsible consumption. From furniture recovery and electronics reuse to donation drives and sustainable procurement, we’re embedding circular principles into everyday university life. We also create opportunities for staff and students to take part—whether that’s by donating unwanted items, volunteering, or shaping future initiatives.
Our key highlights
The University of Warwick repurposed nearly 5 tonnes of post-consumer carpet tiles through the ReStart® program—saving an estimated 12.3 tonnes of CO₂e. The recovered materials are now being reused in social housing across the UK, reducing waste while supporting low-income families with affordable, high-quality flooring.
The University of Warwick has relaunched and expanded its Donation Partner initiative, strengthening its commitment to sustainability and community impact by prioritising reuse and redistribution over disposal. With seven local charities now formally onboard, the scheme ensures surplus items from campus find a second life supporting people and organisations across the region.
Warwick Conferences transformed Radcliffe by prioritising refurbishment over new purchases—achieving a 75% reduction in carbon emissions and 68.5% cost savings. Sustainable materials and expert craftsmanship gave existing furniture a new lease of life, delivering a sleek, modern space that proves style and sustainability can go hand in hand.
What is circular economy?
Circular Economy is an economic model where materials are recirculated to eliminate waste and pollution. We often use ‘carbon footprint’ to describe an item’s environmental impact, but this only accounts for greenhouse gas emissions. It doesn’t address other major issues, like resource depletion. We’re extracting natural materials faster than they can be replenished, and with only 7.2%* of materials recycled globally, valuable resources are turning into waste. Our current "take, make, dispose" system isn’t sustainable – systemic and individual changes are needed.
At Warwick, we’re already making an impact—our research helped develop the world’s first industrial-scale chemical recycling facility in Teessid, while Professor Stefan Bon is researching colloidal materials for a circular economy. We’re exploring and exploiting opportunities to become more circular in our campus operations with projects and initiatives to eliminate single use items and boost materials reuse.
We can think about the Circular Economy as a series of Rs. The image below shows the Rs organised as a waste hierarchy. The actions at the top are best, while the actions at the bottom should be a last resort. We can group them together to get a more in-depth understanding of what the Rs mean in practice.
Eliminating
Refuse, Rethink, Reduce- Eliminating waste at the design phase
- Avoiding high carbon and environmentally damaging materials and processes
- Designing for disassembly
- Reducing material use
- Material passports
Extending
Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose- Extending lifespan
- Reusing materials and assets
- Simple repairs that do not require many new material resources
- Refurbishing items by replacing parts
- Remanufacturing involves significantly less carbon than manufacturing from scratch
- Repurposing something, giving it a useful function beyond its original intended purpose
Preventing
Recycle, Recover- Last resort to prevent resources from being lost
- Some materials, for example aluminium cans are highly recyclable and the captured material can be used for the same application.
- Many materials can only be ‘downcycled’ and do not make it back to the same level of use as their original application. This is true of many building materials like bricks and also many plastics.
Our areas of impact
We are aiming to explore and exploit all avenues for reuse, repair and refurbishment before recycling and recovering materials as a last resort whilst incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals in our work. Find out more about what we do and how by clicking on the tabs below.
Donation DriveLink opens in a new window
Thousands of students move out of on-campus accommodation each year and it is not always possible for them to take all their belongings. The Donation Drive is a project to rehome these unwanted items, to prevent waste and to promote reuse.
Kitchen Kit MarketLink opens in a new window
The Kitchen Kit Market is the University of Warwick's preloved kitchenware sale taking place during Welcome Week at the beginning of each academic year.
Becoming CircularLink opens in a new window
Becoming Circular is a dynamic four-part workshop series designed to inspire and empower you to challenge current systems and shape a more sustainable, circular economy.
Workwear Wardrobe
The Workwear Wardrobe helps students to build a workwear wardrobe in an affordable way ahead of interviews, assessment centres and gaining work experience. The permanent WWW can be found in the Student Opportunity Hub in Senate House.
Warwick SwapLink opens in a new window
You can list items that are no longer needed in your department and also browse and search items that other departments have listed that may be of use to your department! Warwick Swap is for University of Warwick staff/departments only.
Yard SaleLink opens in a new window
Yard Sale is a great opportunity to pass on items you no longer need, pick up something useful, and help reduce waste.
Community Fridge
The initiative seeks to shift how we think about food waste by encouraging the community to differentiate between inedible waste—such as eggshells or spoiled food—and perfectly good surplus food that can be redistributed.
Book Reuse
The University Library partners with Anybook to give used books a second home, encouraging circular economy through reuse.
Clothes Swaps
Explore sustainable fashion on campus through clothes swap events like Thrift Thursday at the SU and the Swap Shop at the Arts Centre.
Scrub Swap
The Warwick Medical School's Sustainability Network encourages graduating students to donate their scrubs and lab coats which will be re-used by other students.
