PRIMARY students at a South Ockendon school have benefited from an assembly dedicated to recycling plastics under Thurrock Council’s initiative to reduce plastic waste in the borough.
On Monday, 4 November, school children aged from seven to 11 years old at Dilkes Academy took part in the interactive assembly which focused on the impact that plastics have on the environment. Children were shown pictures of different materials, including plastic bottles, cling film and coloured straws and asked which colour bin the material should go in.
Pupils then watched a video produced by recycling facility Bywaters, which deals with Thurrock Council’s waste management and recycling, about the process that waste goes through to be recycled.
This year, more than 4,500 key stage one and key stage two school children from schools including St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Stanford-le-Hope, and Benyon Primary School in South Ockendon have been involved in assemblies aimed at raising awareness about recycling.
Cllr Aaron Watkins, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “The importance in reducing the amount of plastic waste, improving recycling and continuing to tackle climate change is at the forefront of this councils Environment strategy. Previous school projects such as the waste collection vehicle naming and turn off your engine campaigns have seen important topics discussed and have young children involvement.
“Educating young children about recycling in Thurrock is vital in our bid to drive down the amount of plastic waste that is not recycled and ends up in our streets and green spaces. Encouraging children to reduce waste will inspire their parents and other family members to recycle using the different opportunities available, such as collections and public recycling bins. I would like to thank all the schools whom have been involved so far.”
A spokesperson for Bywaters said: “We are delighted to have been part of a number of school assemblies dedicated to recycling in Thurrock. Our vision is to lead by example and we are always looking to explore new ways of engaging with residents about the importance of recycling.”
For more information on how to recycle in Thurrock, visit: thurrock.gov.uk/waste-and-recycling
