Recycling education for schools and kindergartens

School children learning about sustainability

As part of the Monash Sustainability Education Program, our recycling and sustainability educators offer free visits and workshops for primary or secondary schools in Monash. Sessions are fun, interactive and can be catered to all age groups.

What we offer

Education topics we can cover include: 

  • Waste and recycling
  • Closing the loop and waste reduction
  • Waste audits
  • Food waste recycling in school (through the Food Waste Recycling Program)

Our educators can also:

  • Speak with student captains and sustainability teams
  • Present at school assemblies and staff meetings
  • Offer additional support and resources found here. 

If you are interested in a sustainability focus group, assembly or staff presentation, or additional resources, contact sustainability@monash.vic.gov.au

How to book a visit or workshop

Interested in booking a visit or workshop for your primary or secondary school?

We are currently taking expressions of interest and bookings for the 2024 school year. Places are limited per term so make sure to get in early.

Please note: We have reached our current capacity for Kindergartens and Early Learning Centres and will be recommencing visits in Term 3 and 4. 

Book or enquire online

You can also contact us at sustainability@monash.vic.gov.au to learn more about our education program offerings or to make a booking enquiry.

Education topics

Education sessions can be 30 to 60 minutes and can include quizzes, hands-on activities and educational resources for students and teachers. We offer the following education sessions to primary schools:

  • Wonderful Waste: Students will examine the impacts of waste and learn about what items go in which bin. We cover the importance of recycling and what happens to waste once it is collected.
  • Recycling Rules!: Students will dive into the recycling process and learn where materials come from and why recycling helps our environment. We take an in-depth look at how material streams are sorted and processed.
  • Closing the Loop: Students will explore the take-make-waste problem and impacts of landfill. We will discuss how to be more sustainable by following the 5R’s.
  • Waste Audit (allow 1-2 hours): Students will work together to examine bins from classrooms, the schoolyard and staffroom areas. Students will learn how to separate waste into appropriate streams, find potential problem items in the bins and learn how they can reduce and recycle waste at school.

Other services and sessions

Free recycling bin services for schools

We offer FREE recycling (yellow bin) or food and garden waste (green bin) services to schools that meet prerequisite conditions and demonstrate ongoing commitment to sustainability.

If your school is interested in recycling and reducing food waste, contact us below about our School Food Waste Recycling Program.

Enquire about school recycling services

Sessions for early learning centres

We offer 4 to 5 spots per term for FREE visits to early learning centres (ELCs).

We run fun and interactive Wonderful Waste and Worm World sessions that include a storytime, singing and activity. 

Enquire about ELC visits

Please note: if we have already reached our capacity for visits per term, your centre will be added to our waitlist to visit once a spot becomes available. Please see our early learning resources for sustainability resources.

Sessions for secondary schools

Council offers a Closing the Loop: Waste Challenges and Solutions program and waste audits for secondary schools.

We can also come and speak with student captains and sustainability teams or present at school assemblies and staff meetings.

Enquire about secondary school presentations

Related information

 

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