The initiative, which aims to reduce disruption for local residents during the student move-out period, saw council teams provide enhanced support to help students dispose of their waste responsibly ahead of the summer break.

Launched in early June, the campaign saw increased refuse collections, daily street cleaning, a volunteer litter-pick, and the deployment of additional waste enforcement officers. Council staff conducted door-to-door outreach to ensure students were aware of the services available and understood how to manage their waste appropriately.

A dedicated recycling van visited multiple locations in Cathays and Plasnewydd throughout June and July, allowing students to recycle bulky items that cannot be placed in standard household recycling bins.

As a result of the campaign, more than 7,000kg of recyclable material was collected - an increase of 700kg compared to the previous year. This included 849kg of reusable items, 318kg of food donated to Cardiff Foodbank, and 5,964kg of general recyclable waste.

Councillor Norma Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services, praised the students’ involvement and the campaign’s success.

“I want to thank all the students who took part. By working closely with our teams, they have helped reduce the amount of waste left on the streets of Cathays and Plasnewydd. This year, we’ve seen a significant improvement -cleaner streets and a higher volume of recycling from student households. Our officers engaged directly with students to ensure they knew about the extra services and how to dispose of waste properly,” she said.

In previous years, mixed waste was left in black bags which was often torn open by animals, causing litter to spread across the streets. This year, the deployment of extra waste officers helped prevent rubbish build-up and maintain a cleaner environment for all.