Schools go green with new bins

Feb 20 2008 by Ben Guy, The Journal

PUPILS across a Northumberland district will be able to do their bit for the environment as a council introduces new recycling bins to their schools.

Tynedale Council is set to spend £7,000 on new litter bins for the schools that will allow rubbish to be properly segregated and recycled.

Schools are already provided with wheelie bins for recycling, but Coun David Smith said the extra bins would boost recycling even further.

He said: “We already carry out recycling at schools but the problem was that there is still some rubbish that isn’t being segregated.

“If you don’t segregate what you recycle, it ends up as landfill. The idea that we are putting forward is to supply individual boxes to schools so that items can be segregated and recycled.

“There are quite a few drink cans, and a lot of paper and plastic that could be recycled, so the schools do need them.”

Last October The Journal reported how the council was extending a garden waste wheelie bin recycling scheme to 8,000 homes in the district, instead of a kerbside glass recycling initiative.

The wheelie bin scheme was thought to be more cost-effective, and now the money saved will be spent on bringing the bins to the schools.

The idea was first mooted about 18 months ago, but at that time the budget wasn’t in place.

But the council recently took part in a youth forum event with pupils, where the idea was raised again, and now the money is set to be allocated.

Council figures show that despite having the wheeled bins, about 75% of schools in the district need the extra recycling facilities.

The smaller bins to be used in the scheme will cost the council £5, while larger bins will cost £10.

Coun Smith added: “We hope to be able to start as soon as possible.

“It will be done on a purely voluntary basis and it is up to the schools whether they want to take it up – we are just putting the opportunity there for them.”

Tynedale cabinet will make a final decision on whether or not to introduce the boxes at a meeting on Thursday.