Recoup, Valpak teach students on plastics recycling

U.K.-based RECOUP (RECycling of Used Plastics Ltd.), a plastics recycling charity, has partnered with Valpak, an environmental compliance firm based in Warwickshire, England, to deliver a plastics recycling education program to schools. According to a news release from Valpak, the program aims to equip schools and students to be able to #sortitout when it comes to plastics recycling. 

As a result of the partnership, students from Diss High School, Norfolk, England, have been participating in recycling games to learn about what they can recycle locally. Students have also learned about the journey that plastic packaging goes through when it’s recycled. 

“Plastics are on everyone’s mind at the moment, and these workshops do an amazing job at helping the children to understand how plastics are made, how to identify the different types and to give them ideas on how to keep plastic packaging out of the natural environment by recycling,” says Steve Gough, CEO of Valpak. “We have supplied a dedicated bin to collect plastic bottles, so the pupils can recycle easily at school.”

Valpak

Year 7 students at the school also participated in an assembly sponsored by Valpak and delivered by Recoup. Groups took part in follow-up workshops where they received a wider understanding of the recycling processes. 

“It was encouraging to have so many questions and so much input from the students,” says Anne Hitch, citizen and stakeholder engagement manager at Recoup, who led the follow-up workshops. “They were really keen to understand what happens to plastic packaging when recycled. We are delighted to be able to work with Valpak to deliver this message direct to young consumers and are looking forward to seeing the results of the ongoing input by the student recycling ambassadors.”