Schools Waste Action Club is an exciting Waste Watch project that provides advice on waste reduction, reuse and recycling in schools, and helps children take practical action on waste.

SWAC has developed a wide range of fun, curriculum-based activities focused on the 3Rs - reduce, reuse and recycle - for use in both primary and secondary schools.

SWAC runs in North Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, with Waste Watch providing the SWAC support programme in Bexley, Essex, Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. SWAC is an excellent opportunity for keen local authorities and businesses to work in partnership with Waste Watch in order to promote waste education in their area.

Interested parties can call Waste Watch 020 7549 0331 for more information.

Pilot projects run in Stockport and York during 1998-2000 were a great success with 40% of schools in both areas expressing an interest in the project, many of these becoming actively involved after the first year. The pilot projects paved the way for the current SWAC projects around the country. One of the secrets of SWAC's success is its great flexibility, allowing it to be adapted to suit the individual needs of all schools; primary, secondary and special.

SWAC can offer schools

planning advice flexible national curriculum based education programmes delivery of lessons and access to a variety of good quality educational resources visits to and from businesses and local waste management industries to enhance the education programme provision of recycling and composting facilities teacher training termly waste education newsletter contract and pledge certificates

by running a successful SWAC project, schools can expect to

improve social responsibility, 'citizenship' and environmental awareness in the school and wider community improve the environmental management of the school develop cross curricular links through the delivery of an environmental education programme save costs on materials and waste disposal (particularly if the school is responsible for its own waste disposal costs) raise the profile of the school within the local community develop links with industry increase involvement with the local community in promotional and project initiatives

If any schools in North Yorkshire, Essex, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Cheshire, Rotherham or Bexley would like further information about the project, please contact Waste Watch education@wastewatch.org.uk

The current SWACs are supported by

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