MARSDEN State High School has implemented a recycling revolution after a review of waste practices revealed room for improvement.
The school’s cleaning team discovered recycle bins were being frequently contaminated with non recyclables, the grounds were covered in litter on a daily basis and management was paying too much for waste disposal.
To turn this around the school has rolled out a staged plan to educate students and raise awareness of sustainable waste practices.
Stage one of the plan involved installing easily identifiable 240 litre red lid and yellow lid bins with labeling to ensure recyclables could be separated from general waste.
Stage two led to the inception of a waste sorting table recycling centre with rubbish emptied on the table and sorted into the appropriate bins to abolish waste contamination.
Following this development, Logan City Council awarded Marsden State High School with a $5000 envirogrant to continue the program.
The funds will add value to the recycling centre, improve waste signage and increase the number of recycling bins in classrooms.
According to a Marsden State High School report, the recycling project would lead to cleaner school grounds and more environmentally aware students.
“The school environment is the perfect place to instil these values and create cultural change in our communities for years to come,” the report states.
“Instead of throwing rubbish into a bin, calling it waste or recycling and paying someone to pick it up – we seperate it into value streams and process accordingly.”
There will also be an increased focus on directing food waste to compost, recycling paper and cardboard separately to cut costs and converting metal into cash at recycling plants.