Finding a future use for a thousand nurses' uniforms is one of the many interesting aspects of Emma Hill's work in recycling.

Her responsibility as sustainable waste manager for BEAT - Bradford Environmental Action Trust - involves educating businesses how their waste can be re-used.

One of her most successful projects, and the most exciting in terms of re-utilising rubbish, is the Waste Exchange. Emma says it's a bit like a regional dating organisation in rubbish rather than relationships! It finds a use for other people's waste within the business community.

She's currently looking at how textile dust, developed during the yarn spinning process, can be taken from an extraction fan and turned into another use.

An unusual exchange was a thousand nurses' uniforms offered by Bradford University. Contacts have already been made with the charity Oxfam to see if they can be put to future use.

While tenuous, the medical theme links in with her initial intended career. She's always been passionate about the environment - she loves gardening, an interest inherited from her father - but pursued a pharmacy degree at Bradford University. Realising her mistake, she switched to environmental science.

"It just seemed to suit my interest," says Emma.

Following her degree she carried out a contaminated land survey with Kirklees Council's planning department. "Then I got a job with the Environment Agency and that is when my waste career started," says Emma.

Recycling was a role she progressed into following a stint with the waste police', ensuring licensed tipping sites complied with regulations.

"I wanted to do something more positive rather than doing enforcement so I went to work at the Green Business Network, advising businesses on environmental issues, distributing grants and waste minimalisation work."

While at the Green Business Network, Emma was instrumental in developing the Waste Exchange, a project she's continued to expand through BEAT.

She began working for the organisation in 2002, helping to educate business, community groups and organisations through initiatives such as the Waste Exchange and Waste Forum, co-ordinating waste-related projects and partnerships.

Emma was already familiar with the organisation, having volunteered with them before. She recalls planting trees to help boost Bradford's woodland through the Forest of Bradford scheme.

"During my degree I did a project on woodland so I developed an interest and wanted to do something about it," she says.

Her background in waste management and ability to set up practical schemes, educating people how to utilise their rubbish, proved vital in her current role with BEAT.

"It's really interesting and we do need to do something better than putting it all in landfill."

Emma practices what she preaches and has even got her three children into it. "I do try to recycle everything."

Left-overs are fed to her hens or put into wormeries and composted, reducing rubbish bin waste which we're all being encouraged to do following the announcement of possible fortnightly collections.

"A lot of legislation is coming in. Local authorities will be fined a lot of money if they don't comply with the targets," says Emma. "There isn't enough space for the waste to go."

Emma is more conscious than most that going green is a necessity, not an option. "Over the past few years we've heard about climate change and it really is on peoples' minds. It's made people think about the packaging which is going in the bin. Green marketing is a big thing."

As well as helping to co-ordinate the Waste Exchange and the city-wide Waste Forum, Emma and her team are raising awareness with projects in Manningham and Girlington. Future plans involve timber recycling and encouraging home composting in Asian communities.

"I love the sheer variety of the work and also feel we're helping people. We are helping businesses save costs and helping community groups access resources and help the environment."

The key quality Emma believes candidates should have to follow her into an environmental-related role is resourcefulness.

For more information about courses in environmental science, contact Bradford University on (01274) 232323.