WastED Time - partnering with local councils to fill the gap on waste education

One of the greatest challenges we face in conserving our environment is the issue of sustainable waste management. SITA Australia (SITA) has responded to this challenge by becoming a leader in resource recovery in Australia. SITA has achieved this not only by developing operations across all levels of the sustainable, resource recovery value chain, but also by developing a comprehensive waste education program and curriculum.

In 2012, SITA Australia introduced the WastED Time program to provide waste education to primary schools. The program has been designed by qualified educators to meet the needs of schools sustainability education programs with a series of high-energy, hands-on workshops. These workshops focus on particular aspects of waste management, from the basics of using the council bin system and what happens to waste, to the mysteries of recycling and the importance of composting.

The program consists of six independent workshops. Each workshop has a particular message and focuses on a major aspect of waste, such as the role of packaging in our daily lives and the way microorganisms help to recycle organic matter. SITA also conducts intensive, hands-on audits of the schools’ waste needs. All the workshops are tailored to specific age groups and experienced presenters are able to incorporate important messages such as reducing littering or introducing worm-farming into the school to reduce food waste.

SITA’s Community Engagement and Education Officer Ngaire Breen says: “These education programs are a great way to increase students’ understanding of the importance of responsible waste management, including composting of organic matter. The programs have also been very effective in helping to improve recycling rates.”

SITA Australia has successfully partnered with six councils in the Sydney metropolitan area to provide waste education as a free part of the services offered. It has been successfully run in over 30 schools for more than 5000 students since the program commenced in 2012. SITA looks forward to continuing to provide these education programs to students in Sydney well into the future.