The Rethink Waste project is funded by the Department of the Environment (DOE) under the Northern Ireland Rethink Waste Revenue Fund 2010 – 2011. The Rethink Waste project was developed collectively by both Bryson Energy and TIDY Northern Ireland in recognition that such an initiative would collectively meet the aims and objectives of and complement TIDY Northern Ireland’s Eco-Schools Programme and Bryson Energy's Schools Recycling Education Programme.

Waste prevention is at the top of the waste hierarchy and is Northern Ireland’s number one priority for waste management. It includes all activities that reduce the amount of waste entering the collected waste stream. The aim of the Rethink Waste project is to raise awareness of waste issues amongst a sample of Primary and Post Primary schools throughout Northern Ireland, encouraging a move from recycling waste to waste prevention and reuse, in turn reducing associated greenhouse gas emissions. The focus of the project is on the delivery of practical training activities with schools looking at reducing and reusing plastic and paper.

Results 2010/11

Paper Workshop

A total of 57 paper workshops were delivered across participant schools, with some schools receiving more than one workshop, targeting different year groups

1,243 children participated in the school based activity

9,874 junk mail postcards were given to the schools for distribution

Plastic Workshop

A total of 56 plastic workshops were delivered across participant schools, with some schools receiving more than one workshop, targeting different year groups.

1,248 children participated in the school based activity. In most of the schools the same children were involved in both workshops but in two of the secondary schools they changed the classes so that other pupils could get involved in the project.

Every child that returned their Mailing Preference Service postcard was given a plastic water bottle for reusing to reduce the amount of plastic bottles of drink that are brought to school every day and discarded. 2,114 bottles were distributed based on a return of 2,114 postcards

For more information, please contact Grainne O'Neill on goneill@brysonenergy or 02871 273 072.