Recycling in Schools

Schools can play a major role in helping us to reduce the mountain of waste we send to landfill.

At least 50% of the waste most schools produce is paper and card, so it makes sense to recycle as much as possible.

By taking part in Uttlesford District Council’s recycling scheme, schools not only reduce their negative impact on the environment but could also save money. Taking part also encourages student awareness of the issues surrounding waste.
 

 The Recycling Service

The service we offer to schools is essentially the same as the household collection service in that we provide green wheeled bins for recyclables (collected once a fortnight) and brown wheeled bins for food waste (collected every week) - please see 3 bins – your guide for a list of materials we collect in each of the bins and for what to do on collection day. The wheeled bins are provided free of charge and schools can have as many as they require.

To keep the kitchen waste bins as clean as possible and to avoid smells we recommend that food waste is wrapped in newspaper, card or a biodegradable bag, which can be purchased from local retailers. It is also important to ensure that recyclables are not presented in black sacks; otherwise the whole load will be rejected.

If schools prefer, we can supply large clearly labelled waste containers for recyclables at a cost of £180 per container plus £25 delivery. This charge is to cover the cost of the container only; there will be no charge for collections.

Schools Education

To strengthen student awareness of how we can all do our part to help the environment through recycling, there are a number of educational services on offer. The waste and recycling officer will be more than happy to visit the school and give a presentation on the importance of not only recycling but reusing and reducing waste wherever possible.

Essex County Council also has a Waste Education Team which offers a wide range of free resources and initiatives for schools in Essex including a Recycling bus, on board which lessons are given to students. For more information please visit the Essex County Council website.

The Eco-Schools programme provides a framework in which to guide schools through their journey to become more sustainable, and recognises the student’s achievements via a series of awards. For more information please visit the Eco-Schools website.