Primary and secondary schools across the Bath area are proving keen to start recycling their food waste, after the service was introduced earlier in the year.
A dozen schools have already signed up to have their food waste recycling collected by Bath & North East Somerset Council, since the service was launched in May.
Pupils and staff have been learning, through special visits from the Council’s Waste Campaign officer, all about how the new collections work.
They’ve also been benefitting from specialist advice to help them improve their other recycling services as well – which can often save their school money.
Research from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), shows that around half of all the waste produced in primary schools is food, and around a third in secondary schools.
By separating out the food waste it can be processed locally, and recycled into compost for use on farmland and used to make renewable energy.
It is much cheaper for the Council to process food waste in this way than to send it to landfill or other specialist treatment.
Councillor David Dixon (Lib Dem, Oldfield), Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Bath & North East Somerset Council is really keen to encourage schools to recycle more of their rubbish and to make this as easy and cheap as possible.
“Many pupils are already recycling food waste at home and by introducing this new collection to schools it will help reinforce a consistent message about the importance of dealing with food waste sustainably.
“It will also help schools progress through the international Eco Schools award programme, which guides schools on their sustainable journey through a seven-step process which helps them to address a variety of environmental themes.”
The first school to sign up to receive the new food waste recycling collection is Chew Stoke Church School.
Kirsty Simmonds, Eco-Schools Co-ordinator at Chew Stoke Church School, is delighted to be part of the new scheme to recycle food waste.
She said: “We were amazed at the amount of `leftovers` after lunch and the scheme will help us to focus on reducing this, especially now as all our infant pupils are entitled to have a school lunch.
“Our Green Team will help to encourage pupils and staff to use the recycling bins; rewarding the class that is most consistent. We also have an enthusiastic team to wash and recycle yoghurt pots as part of our plastics and tin recycling.
“Everyone is excited to take part and also pass on the `recycle food waste` message to their families.”
Bath & North East Somerset Council also offers free food waste assemblies to help launch the new collection in schools and can offer other educational support to schools.
To find out more about the new collection and our comprehensive range of general waste and recycling collections contact the Waste Campaigns Team via email [email protected] or by calling 01225 394204 or visit www.bathnes.gov.uk/businesswaste.
