Using an online calculator, the students in Ms Heydenrych’s Year 9 Science class worked out that they each generate an average of 7.29kgs of plastic waste per year at school (just from food products).
They then worked out how much this would be if extended to include all the students and staff. i.e approx 800.
This works out to 5.8 tonnes per year of plastic on Merici’s campus and doesn’t include large items, clothing etc.
The students concluded that our plastic use is the challenge of our lifetimes.
Here at Merici we have a system in place to collect plastics for recycling.
However, the best course of action is not to buy plastics where avoidable and to minimise plastics sent to school.
Please support the Year 9’s in their commitment to reduce plastic waste at Merici by using reusable containers where possible. If plastics need to be disposed of at school, please use these bins.
According to a recent article published in Eco-business, solving the plastic problems requires fundamental changes in mindset from key stakeholders in order to establish the foundation for transformative change in the management of plastic. We need to start at the top of the waste hierarchy and prioritise the following principles:
- Eliminating unnecessary and problematic plastic packaging through redesign and innovation and increasing recycled content in plastic packaging;
- Moving from single-use to reuse where possible;
- Ensuring all plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable; and
Increasing the collection, reuse, recycling or composting of plastic packaging.
http://merici.college/go/eco-ocean-population
Felicity Maher
Sustainability Officer
