Reduce waste at school

Schools and kura can generate a lot of waste – lunch scraps, garden waste, paper, plastic and even lost property. So, they’re great places to minimise waste and encourage future generations to think differently about the things we throw away.

On this page:

Enviroschools

Enviroschools is an action-focused education programme where students plan, design and create a more sustainable school and local community. It focuses on students’ learning and taking action together for a healthy, peaceful, sustainable world.

Schools on the Enviroschools programme have access to:

regular support from a dedicated facilitator
free curriculum-linked resources
professional development opportunities
interschool opportunities and events.

The Waikato Enviroschools programme is supported by Waikato Regional Council along with district and city councils. The programme continues to grow, with more than 40 per cent of secondary and 50 per cent of primary and intermediate schools now involved. It has also been adapted for early childhood providers. Find out more and get involved on our Enviroschools page.

Common sources of waste

- Are there easy-to-find recycling stations for students and teachers to use?
- Is recycling encouraged?
- Can lost property be claimed by its owner? Can unclaimed items be donated within the school, or to charity shops?
- Where is the food waste coming from? Lunchboxes, staff room, canteen?
- Do you have a worm farm to compost lunch box food scraps?
- Do you have a compost set up for school garden waste? Could it be used for lunchbox scraps?
- Is garden waste and lawn clippings composted and used on the school gardens?
- Where is paper waste coming from? Lunch boxes, class projects, art room, school office?
- Is paper sorted for recycling?
- How can paper waste be reduced without reducing learning and creative opportunities for students?
- Have a "GOOSE" Box for used paper (Good on one side eh!) Visit Story of Stuff for more information.
- Where is plastic waste coming from? Canteen? Lunch boxes? Class projects? Staff room?
- Does the school have facilities in place for plastic recycling?
- Would the school community support a 'zero waste lunchbox' programme where cling wrap and packaged foods are discouraged?

Waste audit

A waste audit is a systematic review of the waste created by an organisation, such as a school, business, or even a household. Your audit could be set up as a class project if teacher supervision, protective gear and other and safety precautions are in place. Here are some handy resources to get you started.

A 5-step guide to conducting a waste audit Auditing | Beyond the Bin

Waste management plan

A waste management plan looks at what waste is generated and how it can be reduced.
An audit of what waste is created is the best place to start.
Once the audit is completed, ask yourself the following:
- How much of this waste could be avoided and what materials could be re-used or recycled?
- What waste management procedures do you already have at your school, and do they need improving?
- What new procedures could you add?
Use these findings to write your waste management plan.
Once your waste management plan is in place, measure your success by working out how much you now divert from landfill.

Get inspired!

There are lots of organisations working to help schools reduce waste and lots of great resources available. Find out more and get inspired to minimise waste with these resources from Zero Waste Education, the Ministry of Education, Pare Kore and Fight the Landfill.