A total of 25 Western Australian schools are celebrating National Recycling Week this week by sharing more than $67,000 for projects that reduce waste disposed to landfill.
Environment Minister Stephen Dawson today announced the funding, which will be used for a range of sustainable waste projects at schools - from waste sorting stations, worm farms and recycling bins to composters and chickens.
Honeywood Primary School in Wandi will receive $2,182 to set up worm farms and compost systems to reduce food waste to landfill. North Woodvale Primary School in Woodvale will spend its $4,397 grant to set up green waste recycling, increase food scrap collection and involve the whole school.
Holland Street School in Geraldton will use its grant of $4,400 to purchase storage, tools and signage for a student led recycling centre. More than 120,000 children attend the 297 accredited Waste Wise Schools across WA in 2019.
Details of successful grants' applicants follows the McGowan Government's announcement earlier this week that new "monster inspired" WasteSorted signage for WA schools was being released to help school students sort their waste correctly.
The Waste Wise School accreditation program is funded by the McGowan Government through the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Account, administered by the Waste Authority. The program delivers educational resources aimed at changing behaviour to avoid the generation of waste and encourage diverting waste from landfill.
Accredited Waste Wise schools are empowering their community by spreading the 'avoid, reduce, reuse and recycle' messages and providing their students and community with practical activities that raise awareness and reduce waste.
Applications for the next Waste Wise Schools grants funding round are now open and close on December 3, 2019. For more information on the program or to become accredited, visit the Waste Authority website.
As stated by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
"Students at Waste Wise Schools show an impressive commitment to changing their behaviour to avoid waste and minimise the amount that ends up in landfill.
"We need to follow this example being set by our kids. We all have a responsibility to do the right thing and adopt smarter ways to manage our waste at home, at work and at school.
"The McGowan Government is committed to a number of strategic waste reforms, including our ban on lightweight plastic bags, the introduction of a container deposit scheme next year, and consideration of further options for reducing single-use plastics following extensive public consultation."
Following is a summary of grants for the latest Waste Wise Schools funding round:
Aspiri Primary School - $2,198 to set up paper recycling bins.
Atwell Primary School - $2,200 to set up worm farms.
Beldon Primary School - $2,041 to set up bins to sort waste and make bees wax wraps for waste free lunches.
Bencubbin Primary School - $1,950 to set up compost and recycling systems and make beeswax wraps.
Bold Park Community School - $,3308 to set up a composting and recycling centre
Bunbury Primary School - $1,675 to set up collection bins for composting.
Gwynne Park Primary School - $2,200 to set up compost, worm farm and garden infrastructure.
Hillcrest Primary School - $4,350 to set up compost and recycling infrastructure and run waste free lunches.
Holland Street School - $4,400 to purchase storage, tools and signage for a student led recycling centre.
Honeywood Primary School - $2,182 to set up worm farms and compost systems to reduce food waste to landfill.
Kinross College - $2,150 to set up paper recycling bins.
Margaret River Independent School - $3,554 to set up a waste sorting station with signage.
Mary MacKillop Catholic Community Primary School - $4,249 to set up compost, worm farms and garden infrastructure for growing seedlings.
Mel Maria Catholic Primary School (St Joseph Pignatelli Campus) - $1,571 to set up fridge worm farms.
Mother Teresa Catholic College (Junior School) - $4,964 to purchase worm farms, compost bins and garden infrastructure.
Mother Teresa Catholic College (Middle School) - $4,379 to set up worm farms, compost bins, garden beds and a recycling station.
Mount Lawley Primary School - $2,200 to create outdoor procedural signage using student designs and purchase tools and bins to better manage waste.
Neerigen Brook Primary School - $3,062 to set up recycling bins and create educational posters using student designs.
North Woodvale Primary School - $4,397 to set up green waste recycling, increase food scrap collection and involve the whole school.
Northampton District High School - $1,368 to set up a chicken coop to build on existing food waste reducing infrastructure.
Salvado Catholic College - $1,936 to set up compost bins to recycle food scraps and paper.
Shelley Primary School - $2,124 to set up recycling stations to collect paper, plastic, food and general waste.
St Columba's Catholic Primary School (South Perth) - $2,196 to set up worm farm and compost infrastructure.
St Jude's Catholic Primary School - $300 to purchase paper recycling bins.
Wandina Primary School - $2,190 to set up worm farms, compost bins and garden beds.
