As part of our 2020 celebration for completing all five modules, here is a look back at our work on the waste module and the changes we made…..

Waste:

When we first began the Resource Smart program our waste was 0.52M³ per student.

After a focused effort between 2016-2018 to improve understanding of our waste around the school, we have managed improve how much waste we send to landfill within the school. Our usage in 2019 was 0.27 M³ per student, which means we are now under the benchmark set by Sustainability Victoria.

• We implemented yearly audits of our bins, landfill and recycling in the school.
• The school invested in new bins in each classroom, to ensure consistency across the school. The waste in our school is now divided into four different categories; landfill, recycling, soft plastic recycling and compost. This way less waste from Vermont Primary School goes to landfill.

The changes we have made in the school have led to a large decrease in the amount of landfill that has left the school. This should continue to improve as we work to imbed these waste systems of composting and recycling into our school routines.