A total of 20 Western Australian schools will share in more than $62,000 for projects to reduce waste disposed to landfill after being awarded grants under the Waste Wise Schools program for 2020.
Environment Minister Stephen Dawson today kicked off the 18th year of the program, which provides funding for sustainable waste projects at schools - from compost systems to improving waste sorting for recycling.
A total of 505 schools across Western Australia are accredited under the program, which is funded by the State Government through the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Account, administered by the Waste Authority.
The program delivers educational resources aimed at changing behaviour to avoid the generation of waste and encourage diverting waste from landfill.
Accredited Waste Wise Schools are empowering their community by spreading the 'avoid, reduce, reuse and recycle' messages and providing their students and community with practical activities that raise awareness and reduce waste.
Applications for the next Waste Wise Schools grants funding round are now open and close at 12pm on March 26, 2020.
For more information on the Waste Wise Schools program, to apply for a grant or to become accredited, visit http://www.wasteauthority.wa.gov.au
As stated by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
"The McGowan Government is committed to a target of 75 per cent of waste generated in WA being reused or recycled by 2030.
"The Waste Wise Schools accreditation program is an important part of this commitment, as the values we teach our children are the ones that the community will have in the future.
"The program is part of a wider range of strategic waste reforms, including our ban on lightweight plastic bags, the introduction of a container deposit scheme this year, and consideration of further options for reducing single-use plastics following extensive public consultation."
The following schools have received grants:
- Alkimos Beach Primary School - $4,297 to expand food scrap recycling and compost program through installing an outdoor waste education hub.
- Aveley North Primary School - $1,892 to reduce food waste using worm farms and set up recycling collection bins.
- Beeliar Primary School - $8,295 to set up bins to collect recyclables, compost system and chicken coop to recycle organic waste.
- Carine Senior High School - $1,850 to set up worm farms and compost system in the kitchen garden area.
- Deanmore Primary School - $4,101 to increase the amount of materials recycled using a multi-sort station and set up a composting system.
- Geographe Education Support Centre - $1,040 to take boomerang bags and beeswax wraps to reduce single use plastic at school.
- Glengarry Primary School - $4,358 to increase recycling bins, compost systems and garden area to involve the whole school community.
- Greenbushes Primary School - $1,975 to set up composting systems, waste-free lunch containers and recyclables wash station.
- Kalamunda Senior High School - $2,200 to introduce paper recycling in each classroom across the school including educational signage.
- Leaning Tree Steiner School - $4,400 to set up a recycling collection station including educational signage and garden beds to close the recycling loop with the compost systems.
- Morley Senior High School - $2,168 to set up worm farms and a recycling collection station including educational signage.
- Mother Teresa Catholic College (Junior School) - $7,531 to set up worm farms, shade house and garden area to close the loop on organic recycling.
- Mundaring Christian College (Secondary Campus) - $2,190 to set up paper and mixed recycling collection and an education program.
- Parkfield Primary School - $1,577 to set up additional compost systems, worm farms and shed to house waste wise projects to meet the increase in student participation.
- Rivervale Primary School - $2,192 to set up a Bokashi compost system to recycle organic waste.
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (Bunbury) - $2,200 to set up a bin system to collect paper, mixed recyclables and organics for the worm farms.
- St Jude's Catholic Primary School - $2,018 to set up classroom recycling and a fridge worm farms to recycle fruit and vegetable scraps.
- St Mary's College (Broome) Primary Campus - $4,400 to provide reusable containers, cutlery and a dishwasher for the canteen to be waste free and avoid single use plastics.
- Victoria Park Primary School - $2,007 to set up recycling bins and compost tumblers to recycle organic waste.
- Whitford Catholic Primary School - $2,199 to set up organic waste collection bins, worm farms and equipment for students to run the project.
