Looking for ways to make your school greener in the New Year? Setting up a recycling programme on campus is a great first step. But for this to be effective it means more than just placing a few bins around. Let’s learn how to establish valuable partnerships with local recycling companies to help your institution on its sustainability journey.

Identify and connect with local recycling partners

Start by researching local recycling companies and waste management programmes in your area. Ideally, you’ll want to prioritise those with experience working with educational institutions. Schedule meetings to discuss potential collaboration opportunities and learn about their specific collection requirements and schedules.

Implement strategic bin placement

Work with your recycling partners to determine optimal locations for collection bins on school grounds. Place clearly marked containers in high-traffic areas like cafeterias, libraries, and classroom buildings. Use colour-coding and clear signage in multiple languages to ensure proper waste separation and position paper recycling bins strategically near printers and photocopiers.

Establish collection systems

It’s also important to develop efficient collection routines that align with your recycling partner’s schedule. Create clear guidelines for your institution’s cleaning staff and designate responsibilities for bin monitoring and collection coordination. You might also consider going a step further and implementing a tracking system to measure your waste reduction and recycling rates.

Raise awareness through joint initiatives

Collaborate with your recycling partners to organise educational workshops and awareness campaigns for staff, students and members of the local community. You could organise campus clean-up events, host Q&A talks, and create informational materials about the impact of proper waste disposal. These activities will help strengthen community engagement and environmental consciousness.

Building strong partnerships with local recycling programmes is a crucial step towards school waste management systems that benefit both the environment and the community. Why not make 2025 the year your institution takes real steps towards sustainability? Follow our Sustainable Wednesday series for more green tips coming soon!

Written by Stephanie Clark