PBC has now had the compartmentalised bins in the playground for three terms. These allow students to sort and separate their waste, enabling us to recycle, compost and cash in as much waste as possible, reducing the volume of waste we send to landfill. This has already made a significant impact on our waste collection bills. In May and June of 2024, sorting and separating our waste reduced the volume we sent to landfill by approximately 50% compared to May and June of 2023, saving us more than $5,000 in the process. By the end of June 2023, we had spent more than $25,000 on waste collection bills for the year. By the same time this year, we have only spent a little over $16,000. In that time, we have also earned $3,350 from the Container Refund Scheme and diverted more than 4,000kg of food waste from landfill, creating compost that we donated to the Southern Beaches Community Garden at Tugun.

The line graph illustrates the reduction in the number of general waste bins we send to landfill each week. In May of 2023, we sent 426 240L wheelie bins of rubbish to landfill. In May of 2024, it was only 201 bins. In June of 2023, we sent 316 240L wheelie bins to landfill, while June of 2024 saw us reduce that number to only 133.

While the above waste reductions are encouraging, this is just the beginning and we can do even better for the rest of 2024 and beyond. We have an incredible team of people working to collect and sort waste to make sure we send even less to landfill in the future. Please encourage your student to help PBC become even greener by:

• Using reusable containers rather than single-use packaging like cling wrap for their lunches
• Taking the time to place their waste into the appropriate bin compartment (food waste, CRS-eligible beverage containers, recyclables and general waste)
• Bringing their own cutlery to school rather than using single-use items from the canteen
• Putting rubbish in the bin rather than leaving it on the ground

We all have a role to play in reducing waste. A small amount of effort from every individual at PBC makes a big difference overall.

Tom Pasley

#RedsGoGreen