QSIoN waste posters: From local labs to a UCL-wide initiative

We caught up with Stephanie Czieso, Lab Operations Manager at Queen Square Institute of Neurology (QSIoN), who spoke to us about how waste posters designed by the QSIoN Sustainability and Waste Management Working Group have been adopted across UCL to improve waste management across the university.

Can you tell us more about the Queen Square Institute of Neurology Sustainability and Waste Management Working Group?

The QSIoN Waste Management Working Group is one of several initiatives established in 2024 under the QSIoN Climate Crisis Committee. The Committee’s overarching goal is to advance research, advocacy, and practical action addressing the climate crisis in the fields of neurology and neurosurgery, while encouraging more sustainable working practices in the Institute’s labs and offices.

Improving waste management at QSIoN was one of the working group’s initial priorities, and it quickly attracted a number of enthusiastic volunteers. The group currently includes around 15 members and meets roughly once a month. Membership is open to all, and the team is made up of post-docs, PhD students, lab managers, and technicians representing a range of QSIoN departments.

When did you realise the need for new signage for bins and waste collection areas?

Waste being placed in the wrong bins has always been a challenge — not just at QSIoN but across many institutions. Proper waste segregation is a key aspect of sustainability, and while most building users genuinely want to dispose of items correctly, confusion about what belongs in each bin has been a persistent issue, especially in labs. Although waste management information is shared during new starter inductions and UCL offers relevant training, it’s easy for people to forget these details when focusing on their work and dealing with their daily commitments. The group therefore decided that introducing clear, easy-to-understand signage directly on waste bins would be a practical first step toward improving compliance and reducing confusion.

What factors did you take into consideration when designing new posters?

First of all we wanted to ensure that the posters are easy to read and easy to follow for users. It was important for us to make them visually appealing and not too wordy. None of us are graphic designers but we still wanted them to look as professional as possible but at the same time stand out amongst all the other signs in our lab and office areas.  We have also included a QR code that directs users to the QSIoN SharePoint which contains further, more specific information about waste disposal. Obviously we also had to make sure that all the information on there is correct. The design process went through various feedback and approval stages. We involved local lab managers as well as the UCL waste managers to ensure we are sending across the right message.

Can you talk about the success of the posters at the QSIoN

We initially trialled the posters in several lab and office areas earlier this year, and following the positive response, we’re now rolling them out across the entire Institute. Feedback from staff, senior management, and UCL LEAF auditors has been highly encouraging, particularly praising the clarity and visual examples that make it much easier for users to follow the correct procedures. We’ll continue to monitor compliance over the coming months, but even if this initiative influences the behaviour of just a few individuals, we would already consider it a success.

They’ve recently been adopted by UCL Sustainability, how does it feel to have a local initiative adopted at such a large scale?

I think the entire team that contributed to this can be really proud. This was a user-driven initiative, led by those who best understand what information is missing and how to improve it. It is nice to see how a small effort to address a local issue gets adopted by the wider community. Sharing good ideas instead of duplicating work is always rewarding and if it also helps other departments achieve their sustainability goals, even better!