What can be recycled?

Purpose

To develop in students an awareness of the number of things that are usually thrown away that can be recycled.

Activity

Brainstorm a list of the materials that can be recycled. Students collect packaging and labels which indicate which materials can be recycled or have been made from recycled products.

Investigate how each can be collected and recycled. Here are some hints. Students could investigate the process of recycling each.)

• Paper and cardboard can be returned to the paper manufacturers for repulping; local council recycling programs include paper and cardboard collections.
• Aluminium beverage cans - set up your own or use a local can collection centre.
• Other metals - many local council recycling programs take steel cans. Other metals can be taken to scrap metal dealers - some are very valuable.
• Plastics - local council collections.
• Glass - local council collections.
• Oil - find out from your local service station how to recycle lubricating oils.
• Food scraps and garden waste can be composted.

Students prepare a questionairre of the products that can be recycled and test parents/adults and other students to determine the level of awareness of recycling in the community.

Investigate the history of aluminium beverage can recycling programs in your area, State or Territory, or Australia-wide.

Develop a poster or display of recyclable materials.

Discussion

Discuss how to set up a recycling program at home or school.

For secondary students

Find out what happens to each of the recyclable materials collected by or for your local council.

Extension

Students research the recycling projects undertaken in different countries and consider why recycling rates are different from Australian rates.

Visit the Setting up a Recycling Centre section of this web site for more information.

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