This National Recycling Week, Council is celebrating the dedication of its Recycling Hero Schools, with five schools receiving official signage in recognition of their commitment to the program and for fostering a zero-waste community.
Waste and Recycling Councillor Shane Latcham said since its launch in 2019, the program has empowered 20 local primary and secondary schools to create and lead their own unique waste and recycling initiatives.
"We're celebrating the efforts of all our Recycling Hero Schools, with a special focus on five schools for their continued commitment to the program," Cr Latcham said.
"During the week we installed Recycling Hero School signage on the front gates of the Rockhampton Grammar School, Ridgelands State School, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Park Avenue, Rockhampton Girls Grammar School, and Emmaus College.
"It's fantastic to see how much this program has grown and the impact it's having on the students who are truly leading the charge with their commitment to reducing waste to landfill."
Since the program's inception, schools across the region have introduced a number of fantastic initiatives, from bottle lid art displays and swap shops to tackle fast fashion, to Taco Tuesdays using home-grown produce from the school garden, and creative 10-cent container collections.
"Council's program isn't just a one-off session, it's a title that a school earns through the delivery of a full education program involving a series of lessons and hands-on activities that can be linked to the national curriculum," Cr Latcham said.
"This initiative is also part of Council's broader Resource Recovery Strategy, which outlines our plan to become a zero-waste community.
"The program is creating lasting change in our community, with its impact reaching far beyond the school gate.
"Students are taking these lessons home and carrying them forward, becoming more mindful about responsibly disposing of waste."
Ridgelands State School joined the program in 2023 and through Council's Community Assistance Program (CAP) Sustainability Grant, established colour coded bin stations in all classrooms, offices, eating areas and the tuckshop to allow for easier sorting of waste.
Teacher from Ridgelands State School, Belinda Wilkes, said the Recycling Hero School program has allowed for its students to take real steps into putting their waste reduction program into action.
"Installing bin stations across the school has been an important first step in helping our students and staff make sustainable choices every day," Ms Wilkes said.
"It's not only allowed us to introduce colour-coded bins for recycling, composting, and waste separation but also helped us build on our educational resources.
"Waste management and recycling has a strong history at Ridgelands State School, going back to the Can Competitions and Clean Up Australia Day events led by John Mouritz in the '80s and 2000s.
"It's fantastic to see our students carrying on this legacy with initiatives like our 'Bin Chickens' helpers, who make sorting waste fun and keep recycling contamination low."
