Member Article

O’Briens teaching benefits of recycling

A local waste management firm is helping schoolchildren across the North East learn about the importance of recycling.

O’Brien and its mascot Max are currently touring schools in the Wallsend and North Shields to talk to pupils about the consequences of sending rubbish to landfill. Each school will be given free recycling bins made out of recycled card, which will in turn be recycled when they can no longer be used.

It is hoped that these bins will help encourage pupils and teachers to recycle on a daily bases. Schools which successfully follow O’Brien’s guidance will be awarded a Green Flag, to celebrate the achievements of schools which become more eco-friendly.

Nathan O’Brien, director of waste management believes that the success of the scheme is down to Max, who is a character children canreally relate to.

He commented: “As children are the next generation and our future, it is of paramount importance that we educate them to show care and respect for the environment.

“We believe that providing schools with free recycling bins reinforces our message and encourages pupils and teachers to recycle more.”

Richardson Dees Primary School is one of the schools taking part in the scheme, and year four class teacher Anna Ronsano believes that the scheme is encouraging pupils to think more about recycling.

She commented: “It’s important that children are able to make good environmental choices which will affect their futures and the future of their local communities.

“Thanks to our involvement with O’Brien, our pupils are keen recyclers who know which bin to use for which item, and we as a school now use one general waste bin for landfill as opposed to the three that we were using before.”

Next month, O’Brien will be opening a viewing gallery at a recycling plant in Wallsend, where Max will be giving guided tours to children so that they can experience the recycling process first-hand.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .