Nottinghamshire schools invited to learn from experts this Recycle Week

1,500 young people from 47 schools are set to learn about how recycling keeps materials in use for longer through free educational webinars run by Veolia in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council.

The webinars, which will take place from Monday 14 September, will be delivered by Veolia’s Education, Communication and Outreach (ECO) team as part of Recycle Week. During the sessions, pupils will learn why recycling is important and how they can put sustainable behaviours into practice at home.

Recycle Week is an annual awareness week run by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), to bring attention to everyday items that, despite being recyclable, are commonly put in the general waste bin. These items include yoghurt pots, spray bottles, deodorant cans, and perfume bottles.

Recent changes mean that residents can recycle even more, with the following materials now also being collected from households in Nottinghamshire:

• Plastic food trays and tubes

• Metal food trays and tubes

• Clean foil

• Cartons and Tetra Pak

For those schools that can’t join a webinar, Veolia also offers free educational sessions throughout the year at its Materials Recovery Facility in Mansfield. Students can see first-hand how their recycling is processed and are taught the importance of recycling to keep materials in circulation for as long as possible, reducing waste, saving energy and conserving precious natural resources.

To arrange a tour of the MRF for their class, teachers can visit: nottinghamshire.veolia.co.uk/education/schools/materials-recovery-facility-school-visits

Wayne Draycott, General Manager for Veolia, said: “These webinars are a fantastic way for young people to get involved in thinking about recycling and how small everyday actions can make a big difference to the environment. By empowering Nottinghamshire’s young people to spark conversations about recycling, we’ll inspire families and communities to reflect on how they manage their waste during Recycle Week and beyond.”

Councillor Bert Bingham, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “These webinars are a great opportunity for young people to find out more about identifying items in the general waste bin which can actually be recycled and it is great to hear that so many pupils have signed up. Recycle Week is an important reminder about the changes made to recycling across Nottinghamshire earlier this year and it is great news that a recording of the webinar will be available online for those who weren’t able to attend.