My school is lying

I've spent 6 years at my school and I've only just found out that we don't recycle. Yes there are recycling bins dotted around the school but they're purely aesthetic (they give a good impression to the visitors) as both are put in the same bin liner when they aren't filled and head to the same bin. We don't have a proper recycling bin where people come to collect the recyclables.

Reply 1

Jack22031994

Volunteer Team

Original post by Edenaciel

Any evidence?

Reply 2

Edenaciel

Original post by Jack22031994

Any evidence?

Not physically but it can be easily acquired. Take a video of the caretaker who mixes the two bins in front of us everyday after lunch. I work in the school council so I have had some deputy heads admit to it. The actual lack of a recycling bin on campus.

Reply 3

Edenaciel

Original post by Edenaciel

Recycling bins as in the bin where it gets collected. We have plenty of fake ones.

Reply 4

Jack22031994

Volunteer Team

Original post by Edenaciel

Recycling bins as in the bin where it gets collected. We have plenty of fake ones.

are they ‘fake’ or is the caretaker not doing his job properly? Two different things

Reply 5

Edenaciel

Original post by Jack22031994

are they ‘fake’ or is the caretaker not doing his job properly? Two different things

Considering the fact that we literally do not have a recycling bin for any recycling to take place and only a trash bin suggests this is more than the caretakers fault. I've rounded the school many times and I can confirm this. I've also got verbal confirmation by the deputy heads but no one's doing anything. I'm not risking expulsion for this just when I'm about to leave but surely there is something I could do.

Reply 6

mnot

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Edenaciel

You could create a petition and try to apply pressure on school management to recycle, tbh im not sure theyll care tho, its probably some weird reason like the council cant collect it or something (just speculation) but in 2020 you would think a school should recycle considering the amount of paper & plastic you probably go through.

Reply 7

Lemur14

Volunteer Section Leader

My school used to do this, sadly I think it's quite common :sadnod:

Reply 8

Pencil22

Original post by Lemur14

My school used to do this, sadly I think it's quite common :sadnod:

Yup! My school keeps ignoring the school reps whenever they bring up recycling; we dump all waste into black bags even substitute teachers and visitors talk about it; my school is nearly broke, but they waste money on new signs and doors when we don't need it.

Reply 9

oliviacarmen3

Original post by Edenaciel

You could organise a fundraiser and then give the money to the pta to buy a big recycling bin

Reply 10

username4986690

This may come as a surprise to you but many places that generate large amounts a refuse use mixed or commingled recycling systems where some poor guy has to sort through all the rubbish off site to separate the recyclables.

https://www.viridor.co.uk/recycling/mixed/

Reply 11

quo11

Our school did the same thing! (Disclaimer: I live in Hong Kong so this may not be totally applicable) What I did with my school's environmental group of about 4 members was that we collected the recycling ourselves, so we'd empty the recycling bins and collect all the stuff. Then at the end of this week, we would put them on carts and wheel them about 15 minutes down the road to a recycling plant for it to be processed. After a couple of weeks of doing this, the people who worked at the plant offered to come to pick up the recycling from our school when they were going to other businesses so the cleaners could just leave the recycling by the exit. By taking your own initiative you might gain some more support and get the school to actually do something.

Reply 12

Simbasoul

Why not suggest they contatct someone like terracycle who recycle drinks cans and crisp packets - they actually pay the school for them....?!! There are also companies who take second hand clothes away (not school uniform) so you could become a centre for collection of one of those - they pay by the kilo. These are effective fundraisers for a school. I organised for my school to collect foreign exchange every half term and holiday and we send that off to a company that pays us for it - raises a few hundred pounds a year - all adds up when budgets are stretched!