Waste minimisation at school

Does your school currently have a compost or worm farm system to deal with your food waste?  Our educator can provide guidance on setting this up.  Alternatively the Zero Waste Education programme includes a composting unit where students can build their very own mini worm-farm as a learning tool.

If you have an Enviro Group or Green Team at your school and would like to meet with our Education Officer to discuss recycling or any other aspect of waste minimisation or project work related to waste, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

Sustainable Taranaki offer educational tours of the Materials Recovery Facility from their inspiring education space.  These tours are free to schools and can accommodate up to 30 people.  Come along and see our sorting facility in action!

Book your tour here

• carry out a waste audit to determine waste composition
• develop a vision and set small, achievable goals to reduce waste
• put together an enviro/green team of enthusiastic students or staff to champion
• create a litter free lunch policy for students and staff
• set up photocopies to print double sided as default
• reuse scrap paper before recycling
• set up a composting system to deal with food waste
• offer food scraps to local pig farmers or to whānau and friends who keep chickens
• ask students to be responsible for collecting classroom recycling (for students that need that extra little movement in the afternoons).

To discuss any aspect of the services on offer please contact our Waste Minimisation Officer on zerowasteeducation@npdc.govt.nz

• Paper4Trees encourages recycling of paper and cardboard by providing recycling bins (free of charge) for each classroom incentivising with rewards of native plants or trees.
• ​Enviroschools is a nationwide programme where tamariki/students connect with and explore the environment then plan, design and take action in their local places in collaboration with their communities.
• Para Kore supports marae, kōhanga reo, kura and community organisations to reduce waste.
• Sustainable Taranaki for information on workshops, tours of the Materials Recovery Facility and other sustainability programmes for students or staff.
• Zero Waste Taranaki for information on how to reduce waste at schools.