School Programs

Council offers programs and resources to support waste education in preschool, primary and secondary schools. 

Keen for a waste wise chat? Contact Council's Waste Education Officer for more details on our schools programs and how we can tailor a program for your school on 1300 864 444.

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Early Childhood Centres

The Nothing Goes to Waste Early Childhood Waste Education Program is run by North East Waste on council’s behalf. The program aims to engage, educate and support staff, children and their families in waste avoidance and resource recovery practices.

To find out more about the program, book a visit and download relevant learning resources, head to ‘schools programs’ on the North East Waste website.

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Primary Schools

Council’s Waste Education Officer can visit primary students to:

• Conduct waste wise talks, supplemented by our waste wise cut-out activity. Download our waste wise cut out activity: Waste Wise Cut Out Activity Sheet (for upper primary students) or Waste Wise Cut Out Activity Sheet (for lower primary students)
• Understand their recycling and/or organics bins
• Work with a class or group (such as an environment group) to do a school waste audit
• Work with the school to create a waste reduction action plan (WRAP)
• Support creative and tangible actions to reduce waste
• Reduce Single Use campaigns
• Provide advice on waste wise school grants
• Help promote their efforts to the wider community

North East Waste school programs

North East Waste provide fun and engaging school programs on behalf of council about the importance of waste management and sustainability. Programs include:

Love Your Lunch

Tackles the challenges of reducing lunchbox and packaging waste, healthy eating, reducing school waste and also food waste reduction amongst families. The program includes bin audits (no student involvement), and student workshops in lunch making and beeswax wrapper making.

Download the NE Waste EOI for the Love Your Lunch schools program here.

 Recycle Relays

Active participatory relay race that teaches students how to correctly sort common recycling, compost and landfill items into the right bins.

Wipe Out Waste

The Wipe out Waste ‘WOW’ Van is a mobile educational trailer which promotes sustainable waste practices to schools through interactive and fun waste information sessions held by a professional performer. Students will learn how they can actively help their local environment by adopting simple waste-less practices, such as smart-shopping, reducing, reusing, composting and recycling at home, school and play.

Compost workshops

Manage food waste and nourish school gardens by learning how to compost effectively at your school.

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High Schools

Secondary school visits primarily support a group, club or class of students who wish to actively support positive sustainable change in their school and reduce single use items. Visits include:

• SRC support to make positive sustainable change through campaigns (such as Reduce Single Use and Recycle Right) and planning/implementation of system changes such as recycling or organics bins and waste reduction action plans
• School audit, usually undertaken with a class or group
• Canteen audit and support