News
Accompanied paper waste prevention projects in schools
The goal of the project is to change the behaviour of pupils and the school as a whole to produce less waste, more specifically: consume less paper and thus reduce paper waste generation. Teachers/Schools who wish to engage a class or the entire school in actions in favour of environmental protection can obtain assistance from Brussels Environment subcontractors on paper consumption reduction. Other topics covered by other school projects include drinking container waste reduction (for primary schools only), and from now on also food wastage reduction and general waste prevention (for primary and secondary schools) energy and noise.
To engage in paper waste reduction schools can choose the topic the level of commitment that suits them best:
- Short term assistance:
- access to free teaching materials (electronic or paper) and equipment (reusable glasses, lunch boxes…)
- free training sessions for teachers (on specific topics or general environmental education) - Commitment over an entire school year:
- accompanied “turn-key” projects for classes, involving interactive sessions animated by specialised education workers. These classes act as information relays for the rest of the school. Teaching and communication materials are provided to the teachers.
- accompanied “school challenge”, involving the pupils themselves (paper audit, change of behaviour and communication to other pupils) and an eco-team with representatives from management, staff (secretariat, cleaning, maintenance, local authorities…) and pupils coordinated by a specialized education worker.
Content of the assistance includes awareness raising, gaining commitment, taking action and evaluating. Equipment and communication tools include teaching materials (e.g. colouring books, teaching reference guides, commitment cards, posters, etc.), reusable items (reusable glasses, lunch boxes, etc.), posters, brochures, interactive games, CD, DVD, as well as guidance on the Brussels Environment website.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
E-mail: rkeunings@environnement.irisnet.be
General data
|
Country |
Belgium |
|
RA/LA |
Brussels Capital Region |
|
Population |
200,000 pupils in 650 schools |
|
Waste generated (kg/inh/y) |
17.5 kg/pupil/year in secondary school |
Waste prevention activity data
| Waste flow | Paper waste in schools |
| Strategy | Reduce the amount of paper consumption and paper waste in schools |
| Scale | Roll out |
| Year(s) of tde project development | 1999 |
| Participation target | / |
| Waste reduction target | 2.5 kg/pupil by 2020 |
| Participation rate | Up to 54 schools participating per year (20 in 2010-2011 on paper waste alone; additional 29 schools on waste prevention in general or other waste prevention issues) |
| Waste quantities reduced | Punctual measurements as a result of a school challenge indicate a decrease of paper consumption of 35% and a decrease of 25% of informative letters to the parents if only the eldest child receives the letter (instead of both children attending the same school) |
| Budget | Staff cost about 0.2 Full Time Equivalent Consultants costs about 1500 euros per class for a turn-key project and 6000 euros per school for a school challenge Examples of costs of teaching materials are: - 1500 couloring books (design & printing): 1995 euros - 1000 teaching reference guides (drafting, layout, translation, pictures, printing): 11640 euros - 1000 commitment cards: 500 euros |
