As another academic year ends, thousands of students prepared to go home or begin a new adventure elsewhere. Before leaving their accommodation, a familiar question comes up: What happens to items they no longer need?
That’s where Cardiff Council’s Students on the Move campaign comes in.
Cardiff Council’s Waste Strategy team helps students manage their waste responsibly when they move out. Initiatives included community outreach, door-knocking campaigns, and for three weeks across June and July, two recycling pop-up sites were set up in Cathays and Plasnewydd. The campaign reached over 5,000 students. This led to more than 17 tonnes of unwanted items being reused and recycled. It also resulted in over 500kg of food donated to Cardiff Foodbank.
These record results show the campaign’s growing impact. Diverting over 17 tonnes of material from general waste gave vital resources to several community partners.
The impact of the campaign extended beyond recycling and waste reduction.
NuLife Furniture received donated household items, such as furniture, kitchen utensils, lamps, and small electrical appliances. These donations help others set up their first homes.
Cans and bags of unopened food went to Cardiff Foodbank to support local families. Meanwhile, many reusable goods found new homes at the Cardiff Waste Savers Reuse Shop.
Clothing collected during the campaign was donated to Cowley Community Closet at HwbClwb Canton, where garments are repaired, re-dyed and redistributed through its Swap Shop service. This helps promote sustainable fashion and gives clothes a new lease of life. This alone helped save more than 200kg of textiles that might otherwise have been sent for incineration.
Any remaining materials that couldn’t be reused were taken to Lamby Way Recycling Centre, where they were appropriately recycled.
For many students, moving out can feel overwhelming. One student visiting a pop-up collection explained, ‘Moving out is hectic, so having an easy way to donate and recycle items made a real difference. It felt much better knowing that things I no longer needed could go to someone else in the community rather than end up as waste.’
More Than Moving Out
The campaign’s success was clear in how it affected those involved and Cardiff’s communities.
Project Manager Alex Hill from the Students on the Move campaign said, “This year’s success came from the thousands of students who chose to donate, reuse, and recycle instead of throwing items away. Students showed a strong commitment to sustainability and the local community by donating kitchen equipment, clothes, and unopened food.”
Waste Strategy & Engagement Officer Sam Blee added, “Every donation came from a student choosing to keep useful items in circulation. These efforts helped make Cardiff cleaner by sending food to foodbanks, supporting local charities, and boosting recycling rates.”
As the academic year concludes, the Students on the Move campaign shows how small actions can make a big difference. By donating, reusing, and recycling, Cardiff’s students have cut waste and supported charities across the city. Thanks to their generosity and commitment, thousands of items have been given a second chance and communities across Cardiff have benefited.
Published July 2026
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