Recycling Program
The 3R framework – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – across the East Al-Ekir Campus
Applied Science University operates a campus-wide 3R programme (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) that segregates waste at source into four streams and diverts 57 per cent of total waste from landfill. The programme is coordinated by the Office of Sustainability with the Procurement and Logistics Department and the Facilities Directorate, and reinforced by continuous student awareness campaigns.
What the university actually does
- Source segregation. Colour-coded bins across academic buildings, offices, the library and the cafeteria separate paper and plastic, inorganic recyclables, organic waste and hazardous waste at the point of disposal.
- Reduce – green procurement. The Procurement and Logistics Department applies green procurement criteria, including 100 per cent recycled or FSC-certified paper, reducing virgin-material demand at source.
- Reduce – single-use plastics. Plastic water bottles and cups under 200 ml and thin single-use plastic bags have been removed from campus outlets in line with national legislation.
- Reuse. Furniture, IT equipment and laboratory consumables are reused internally where possible, and donation and reuse drives redistribute usable items through student societies.
- Recycle. Segregated recyclables are collected by licensed contractors for off-site recycling, and organic waste is routed to composting and energy-recovery treatment.
Source: ASU Sustainability Portal – SDG 12 Responsible Consumption – https://sustainability.asu.edu.bh/
Waste streams and diversion – AY 2024/25
| Stream | Volume (kg/yr) | Treatment / diversion |
|---|---|---|
| Inorganic recyclables | 184,200 | 62.6% diverted to recyclers |
| Paper and plastic | 58,800 | Recycled; -25.1% reduction |
| Organic | 52,400 | 97.5% treated (compost + energy) |
| Toxic / hazardous | 4,180 | 100% licensed treatment |
| TOTAL | 299,580 | 57% overall diversion |
Student engagement and societies
The 3R programme is reinforced by student-led activity coordinated with the Office of Student Affairs and the Student Council, including campus clean-up drives, recycling workshops, donation and reuse drives, and awareness campaigns during the annual Sustainability Week organised by the Office of Sustainability.
Source: ASU – Office of Sustainability (Sustainability Week, partnerships) – https://www.asu.edu.bh/about-us/office-of-sustainability/
Events and news
ASU Sustainability Week
The annual Sustainability Week features recycling workshops, exhibitions and student-led waste-reduction activities, organised by the Office of Sustainability with partner organisations including the Friends of Bahrain Environment Society.
https://www.asu.edu.bh/about-us/office-of-sustainability/In the national context – Kingdom of Bahrain
Applied Science University operates within the National Waste Management Strategy of the Kingdom of Bahrain, supervised by the Supreme Council for Environment in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The institutional waste programme aligns with the progressive national single-use plastics legislation, which provides external corroboration of the institutional direction.
| National measure | Scope | Relevance to ASU |
|---|---|---|
| Decision No. 11 of 2019 | Technical regulations for plastic products | Procurement standards on campus |
| Decision No. 77 of 2021 | Ban on plastic bottles / cups under 200 ml | Removed from campus outlets |
| Decision No. 14 of 2022 | Ban on single-use plastic bags under 35 microns | Campus retail compliance |
| Decision No. 7 of 2026 | Ban on single-use plastic bags under 57 microns | Ongoing campus compliance |
| National carbon neutrality 2060 | Waste-to-resource transition | Campus diversion + treatment |
Source: Ministry of Industry and Commerce – Decision No. 7 of 2026 (single-use plastics) – https://www.moic.gov.bh/en/node/6265
Source: Kingdom of Bahrain national portal – Environment Protection (recycling) – https://www.bahrain.bh/wps/portal/en/BNP/HomeNationalPortal
Source: Bahrain.bh – Environment and nature (waste treatment companies) – https://bh.bh/new/en/environment_en.html
The national framework is supported by licensed private-sector handlers including the Bahrain Waste Treatment Company and the Bahrain Recycling Plant, and the Kingdom marks National Environment Day on 4 February each year. Applied Science University contributes to these national outcomes at the campus scale through source segregation, diversion and licensed treatment.
Source: UNEP – Kingdom of Bahrain commits to environmental sustainability – https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/small-island-big-plans-kingdom-bahrain-commits-environmental-sustainability
Governance, monitoring and audit
The institutional waste programme is supervised by the Office of Sustainability, established under President Decision 14/2025, in coordination with the Procurement and Logistics Department (green procurement and source reduction) and the Facilities Directorate (collection, segregation and contractor management). Waste volumes are logged by stream and reviewed within the annual environmental footprint review and the institutional audit performed by KPMG Fakhro.
Source: ASU – Office of Sustainability – https://www.asu.edu.bh/about-us/office-of-sustainability/
In the 2020 UI GreenMetric World University Rankings, Applied Science University recorded a Waste category score of 975 out of 1,800, and the institutional waste programme has expanded since then through enhanced segregation, the organic treatment route and the licensed hazardous-waste handling chain.
Supporting institutional pages
- https://www.asu.edu.bh/about-us/sustainability/
- https://www.asu.edu.bh/about-us/sustainability/recycling-program/
- https://www.asu.edu.bh/about-us/sustainability/paper-plastic-reduction/
- https://www.asu.edu.bh/about-us/sustainability/waste-management/
- https://www.asu.edu.bh/about-us/sustainability/hazardous-waste/
- https://www.asu.edu.bh/about-us/office-of-sustainability/