The University of Portsmouth and Portsmouth City Council are teaming up to support students and residents to recycle more and tackle rubbish problem spots in areas of Southsea.
Students are also being recruited and trained to work with the council as volunteers, helping drive the message home of how to dispose of rubbish. The volunteers will help students and residents living in the area manage waste correctly and promote recycling services, to help make the city safe, clean and tidy.
Cllr Dave Ashmore, the council's Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Environment, said: "Students come to Portsmouth from all over. Without a national recycling standard, students may be used to different recycling rules and we need to educate them on the things that can be recycled in Portsmouth.
"For the minority of students who do not properly dispose of their rubbish, that ranges from not recycling to fly-tipping excess waste, we have targeted plans to change behaviours. Most students are not a problem, but we know there are areas of Southsea where it causes a real issue for other residents, and that's something we need to address."
By having them [students] volunteer as champions in the community, educating those who don't dispose of their rubbish properly on the right way to do things, providing easier ways to dispose of unwanted items and by taking enforcement action where necessary will, we hope, improve the situation.
Both the council and University will work together to inform students through events such as freshers' fayre and visiting homes, and there are plans to work with landlords to create ways that unwanted items can be reused by other students or be more easily disposed when students move out of a property.
The council has also installed CCTV at a particular problem spot for fly-tipping on Bradford Road and if this proves successful, it could be rolled out to more areas.
Without a national recycling standard, students may be used to different recycling rules and we need to educate them on the things that can be recycled in Portsmouth.
"We have developed the project to train students to help solve waste issues in the area where students typically live. By having them volunteer as champions in the community, educating those who don't dispose of their rubbish properly on the right way to do things, providing easier ways to dispose of unwanted items and by taking enforcement action where necessary will, we hope, improve the situation.
"We take pride in our city and take very seriously the role we play in our wider community."
Projects like this are all part of the council's plan to encourage recycling - helping make Portsmouth a greener, cleaner and more sustainable city.
