INTRODUCTION:
Waste generation has increased massively around the world, and there are no signs of it slowing down. The amount of waste produced by schools is no exception. Research shows the average secondary school produces 22kg of waste per pupil annually. The figure for primary schools is even higher at 45kg per pupil.(1) If not managed sustainably through reduction, reuse, or recycling, landfill waste contributes to pollution of air, water, and soil, fueling climate change. As Young Reporters for the Environment in Portugal, Turkey and the Netherlands, we conducted a study on how to prevent school waste by circular approach.
ARTICLE:
“More than two billion metric tons of municipal solid waste are generated worldwide every year, and this figure is expected to increase by roughly 70 percent by 2050.” (2)
“Education requires a lot of resources. It is therefore not surprising that 70 percent of all waste in education consists of food, paper, and cardboard. Although 80 percent of this waste is recyclable, in reality only 20 percent is recycled.” (3)
YRE from Portugal, Turkey, and the Netherlands formed local students’ committees and interviewed stakeholders about waste management.
Photo 1: YRE from Turkey, Portugal, and the Netherlands organize field trips and interviews to raise waste awareness.
Experts from RESINORTE are concerned:
“A man generates 1.3kg of average waste daily. RESINORTE deals with around 1000 tons daily from 35 municipalities in Riba de Ave, Celorico de Basto, Bigorne, and Boticas. It’s a personal responsibility we all share to do better.”
“The Portuguese community is producing more waste, but we’re not doing enough to sort it out. Our garbage bag is 55% organic, 5% non-recyclable “refuse”, and 40% is recyclable, but only 13% gets recycled.
When a water bottle is tossed in the regular trash, it ends up in a landfill, where it’ll stick around for about 450 years.” (4)
“The primary issue in Ankara’s packaging waste management is the low source separation rate. Packaging waste is mixed with organic waste and disposed of together,” says the director of ‘CEVNAK’ recycling company Taylan Bilgic. “Daily waste generation per person in Turkey is 1.12 kg, ending up in landfills with no recycling potential. Due to insufficient domestic recycling, waste is imported from other countries, harming the environment and economy.”
“Food waste in the education sector is particularly expensive. The cost of procurement, labor, utilities, and waste management means that food waste can cost up to £2,100 per tonne.”(3)
Dutch YRE measured 12 kilograms of daily school waste of leftover food, paper, and plastic. Turkish YRE weighted 8 kilograms of plastic, food leftovers, and packaging.
Zero-waste policy in partner schools turned food waste of unavoidable cafeteria leftovers, coffee grounds, and tea bags into compost through circular practices.
“Integrating circular economy principles into schools means focusing on waste prevention, with the first principle being “Eliminate waste and pollution,” stated the manager of ECOnnect Filipa Gouveia. (5)
Design students from Omnis college report: “By starting ‘New Look’ workshop we reduced the clothing footprint of students and teachers in Twente.”
Photo 2: ‘Reusing old clothes, food leftovers and compost-making’ workshops in Omnis College.
“Recycling is the fallback solution when we have already rethought, refused, reduced, reused, repaired, and renewed.”(5)
Portuguese YRE found new users for waste in up-cycling art and created New Year’s trees and flower beds from car rims and wheels.
“We painted old school furniture for parent assemblies, and turned plastic bottles into art,” said Bilge from Turkey.
“Circular economy is integrated into PYP, middle school, and IB programs,” said Ari Schools’ Vice GM Seda Tarman. “We track paper, plastic collection, batteries, oil, and tech waste with guidance from the Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate. Since 2021, we’ve accumulated 3520 kg of paper waste and 95kg of batteries,” Tarman added. “Families collected blue plastic caps and bought six wheelchairs.”
Photo 3: Circular economy practices in school communities in Turkey and Portugal.
Collaboration inspired us further!
Dutch YRE installed recycling bins for paper and plastic in each class, alongside smaller bins for general waste fitted with smaller bags. “We use 3D printers to recycle plastic waste. Eventually, the amount of general waste dropped to 7 kilograms per day within three months. However, we need to separate waste as part of the new curriculum. Only 8 of the 19 classes still use a weekly paper timetable,” reported project coordinator Niek Schefer.
Portugal aims to minimize waste production by combining old knowledge and new technologies.
“We continue to explore clean forms of energy production within the school’s sphere of influence, as well as the use of old energy production facilities, such as water mills near our school, hydroelectric dams, and wind energy,” said students of science teacher Vitoria Marques.
Turkey’s YRE developed solar panels storing enough energy to charge cell phones on the school campus.
“Recycling technologies enhance waste efficiency and capacity. Companies investing in technology, leveraging advancements like artificial intelligence, are leading the way. These methods not only yield higher quality raw materials but also reduce production costs”. (6)
The Head of the Transportation Technologies Department of the EGO General Directorate in Ankara Murat Alican Ersever says:
“The use of diesel vehicles producing the most CO2 is dangerous. There are currently an average of 1863 buses in Ankara, 10 electric buses converted from diesel vehicles, and 10 more in the process of conversion. We aim to increase the number of converted recycling electric vehicles by the end of 2024.” (7)
Reducing school waste lowers our carbon footprint and offers personal benefits beyond emissions. While it may not stop all global emissions, it brings tangible improvements.
Turkish students reduced the emissions caused by the transportation of school waste to disposal facilities by lowering school waste by 195% since 2021.
We are moving towards a point of no return and we need to adapt to the new realities.
“The global recycling market is projected to experience significant growth over the next few years, with an estimated valuation of 377.4 billion by the end of 2027. This expansion is driven by raising environmental awareness, government initiatives, and advances in recycling technologies.”(8)
Collective efforts of schools launched the e Twinning “SustainaBEEs” Project to amplify the impact on students in Europe, Asia, and America, who are getting more aware of waste problems and willing to participate in change.
The journey to waste prevention begins with love for nature. You don’t protect something you have no bonds with.
“Nature is generous and resilient, but it also has limits. We feel hopeful as we nurture 789 tree species, 142 rose bushes, and 250 bird nests from recyclable materials on Ari School’s campus.” (9)
