Quiz: Where do you throw it?

The UU campus is equipped with lots of recycling bins, but it's not always trivial where to throw an item. Our quiz would educate people in a fun way.

Most of us are familiar with recycling bins, we know where the basic items, like a newspaper or a PET bottle, should be disposed at. There are items that are not so trivial though. Does the pizza boxes go in the paper bin? Are chip bags recyclable? What about a wrapper with a paper sticker? Does 'compostable' bioplastic cutlery go into the organic or residual bin? Incorrectly disposing of these kinds of items contaminates the separated trash, making it more difficult if not impossible to recycle them into new material. We want to create an interactive quiz to educate UU staff and students in a fun way about non-trivial recyclable items. We imagine a little game, in which the player will be asked in which bin they would throw an item (like the ones above, about 10-15 in total). When answered incorrectly, an explanation will be given about how to do it right. Answering correctly will give points to the player. After completion they are encouraged to share it with their fellow students/colleagues: I knew how to dispose 11/15 items - can you beat my score? The 'Where Do You Throw It?' quiz would be published on the UU website and shared on social media channels of the Green Office etc. Additionally, we want to place stickers on the bins on campus which would say "Unsure where to throw what's in your hand? Check out this quiz and you may find the answer." We would also consult with Renewi and use online resources like KIDV's Recycle Check to make sure the quiz has correct and relevant answers. We expect that the campaign will decrease the amount of waste from recycling bins that has to be sent to incinerators because of contamination with non-recyclables. Can you help us make it happen?

We want to address the whole of UU, including staff and students, both in the Uithof and the Binnenstad. It could be that recycling bins would be stickered only in a few buildings at first to see their effectiveness.

- Ordering awareness stickers for on the bins- Perhaps licensing a quiz making softwareThis should add up to at most €200.

We aim to get the project done by the end of summer, just before the new academic year. UU expects that most buildings would mostly be open again to staff and students, so the amount of waste thrown away on campus will go up. This makes it relevant to step up this campaign.Besides, COVID-19 regulations don't restrict the project in any way since research and development can be carried out from home.