What recycling services are on offer for schools?
Recycling at school is good for the environment, enriches the curriculum, helps schools to become more sustainable and can save money.
Visit the Western Riverside Waste Authority website for useful information and resources to help reduce waste and recycle more at school including:
- a waste audit form
- a waste minimisation action pack
- ideas for class activities
- information about eco-schools.
School Smart Bank recycling service
We offer every school in the borough one free Smart Bank to collect the following items for recycling:
- paper
- cardboard
- drink cartons
- glass bottles and jars
- tins and cans
- plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays.
You can get extra Smart Banks and refuse bins from our competitively-priced commercial recycling and waste service. This is up to 35% cheaper than our refuse service, so the more you recycle the more you save. If your school is a registered charity there is also a 20% charity discount, see Commercial waste.
We can provide free reusable orange bags to collect recycling in your classrooms, staff room or offices, and take it to the Smart Bank. Posters outlining what can and can’t be recycled are available free of charge.
Recycling facility class trips
Your local materials recycling facility (MRF) is based in Wandsworth, near the river at Smugglers Way. Here, recyclable materials are separated and prepared to be sent to manufacturers to be turned into new products.
You can also organise workshops at your school.
TRAID textile reuse
Explore and discuss waste, reuse and recycling, climate change, ethical fashion and world poverty with experts from TRAID, the clothing reuse charity. TRAID runs fashion workshops, school assemblies and classroom activities for primary and secondary schools as well as for youth groups, church groups and community centres.
Schools toner cartridge recycling
Takeback for Schools
Takeback for Schools is a toner cartridges and ink cartridges recycling scheme that specialises in providing free toner ink collections for schools. Schools can opt in for collection by contacting the organisation and scheduling collection dates.
For more information visit the Takeback for Schools website.
Schools battery recycling
Battery Back runs a free battery recycling service for schools. Here’s how it works:
- Battery Back gives your school five 5-litre counter-top containers for batteries (dimensions – 18.5cm high by 22.5cm diameter)
- they will collect a minimum of 50kg of batteries at a time – the equivalent of five full containers
- once you have enough batteries for a collection, call Battery Back, who will make a collection within seven working days
- they will also give you posters about the scheme when they drop off the containers.
For more information about the service, visit the Battery Back website.
The Recycle Now website outlines options available for recycling batteries across H&F.
Schools composting
Composting is an excellent way to reduce the amount of lunch time food waste that is thrown in the bin and sent to landfill. It also makes for an interesting lesson plan. Schools can order a subsidised compost bin through our current offer. For more information, visit Garden waste and composting.
Join a Terracycle ‘Brigade’ and raise money for your school.
Terracycle is on a mission to eliminate waste. They do this by creating waste collection programmes (each one is called a ‘Brigade’) for previously non-recyclable, or difficult-to-recycle, waste. The collected waste is then converted into new products, ranging from recycled park benches to up-cycled lunch boxes.
Once you have signed up, download a collection guide for helpful suggestions on how to collect waste. When your waste is ready to be sent in, you can download a free shipping label. Your waste earns Terracycle points that you swap for charitable gifts or a payment for your school.
Visit Terracycle for more information.
More information
email cleanergreener@lbhf.gov.uk
call Cleaner Greener Hotline on 020 8753 1100