Changing Plastic Habits in Schools With New Education Programme

Recycling Education Programme, R-Generation, is widening its reach for 2018, and will now be available to every primary and secondary school in the UK. Following its launch in 2016, Nestlé Waters UK is continuing its partnership with recycling charity, RECOUP, and environmental education organisation, Wastebuster, to deliver an updated programme for 2018. This year will see the national roll out of the initiative, which aims to help children understand the responsibility they have in becoming more environmentally aware citizens.

There is a still a role to play in encouraging consumers to increase their recycling behaviour. The average UK household uses nearly 500 plastic bottles a year but recycles just over 280 of them. This latest initiative aims to help children understand the responsibility they have in becoming more environmentally aware, both at home and in their communities.

The programme gives school staff teaching Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 education access to a host of materials and resources which will help put recycling firmly onto the agenda for their schools. The 2018 programme features a host of new digital materials which will help create excitement in the classroom and deliver relevancy for today’s students. Resources include teacher notes, assembly guides, games, quizzes and fact sheets and aim to help inspire young recyclers of today to become recycling champions of the future. As well as classroom resources, the packs also include step by step instructions on assisting schools in setting up successful recycling schemes in their schools.

Priya Hamilton, Corporate Communications Manager, Nestlé Waters UK comments: “As a business we are passionate about driving education and encouraging individuals to take action and responsibility to protect the environment through recycling. Having launched this initiative in 2016, we are delighted to be continuing to spearhead such an important initiative in driving the recycling agenda. Our commitment to recycling was also reinforced earlier this year, when we announced the roll out of the introduction of recycled plastic to all water bottles produced at our UK site.

As well as the actions we take at a manufacturing level, we believe we also have a major role to play in helping to drive the uptake of recycling in the UK and this latest programme will certainly help address this amongst our youngest generation.”

Anne Hitch, Communications Manager, RECOUP comments: “We are delighted to be able to work with Nestlé Waters UK and Wastebuster on this initiative. Capturing the imagination of young recyclers to encourage plastic recycling is essential for the future in driving a circular economy and long-term sustainability. Plastic is a valuable material that can be reused if we only do the right thing with our waste. The tools within the packs give a complete understanding about different types of plastic and I hope they will motivate students and staff to recycle more at school and at home.”

For schools interested in taking part, the resource pack is available for free download at http://www.recoup.org/p/319/external-publications