Waste Warrior Awards

Children from three Wiltshire schools will be presented with awards for the amount of waste paper they have recycled - and saved from becoming part of Britain's growing landfill mountain - at a special ceremony at the Hills Waste Materials Recovery Facility in Compton Bassett on 23 January.

The schools are all members of the Schools Recycling Scheme, a joint effort between the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and Hills Waste which aims to teach children the waste minimisation message as well as recovering a vast tonnage of paper - 285 tonnes in 2000. That's 57 large dustbin-lorries full.

The winner of the "Best Overall Tonnage" award, St Paul's Primary School in Chippenham with 23.4 tonnes, will take away a cheque for 500 pounds as well as the coveted Waste Warrior Trophy, made by local artist Nell Pickering entirely from reclaimed materials, from a rubber inner-tube to a cola can. 

The other winners, who will take away cash prizes of 250 pounds, are Corsham Comprehensive School (winner in the "Most Improved Tonnage" category - up 200 percent on the previous year) and Broad Town Primary School (winner of the "Most Tonnage Per Pupil" category, with an astonishing 251 kilos per pupil).

As well as receiving their awards from Alan Pardoe, Managing Director of The Hills Group, the junior recyclers will have a guided tour of the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). Each child will also be presented with a recycled school stationery kit and a Waste Warrior badge.

In 2000 77 schools across the county joined in the battle against waste. This year's competition has started already. Matthew Bunt, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust's Education Officer and official Waste Warrior, said "The efforts made by schools across Wiltshire this year produced some amazing results, thanks to the children's enthusiasm for recycling. But 2001 could be even better!"

Tim Miller, Hills Waste's Recycling Manager, said: "The Schools Recycling Scheme is an integral part of our recycling operation in Wiltshire. It involves over 22,000 children and is a very good way to involve the whole population in recycling. We hope that the children who participate will carry their enthusiasm for recycling into their adult lives."

Recycling paper not only helps to cut down on the amount of land needed for landfill, it also helps fight global warming, as paper and organic waste produce greenhouse gases as they rot down.

Editors notes: Press photos at 11.20am 
The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust is the largest voluntary organisation in the county concerned with all aspects of nature conservation. It was established in 1962 and now has over 10,000 members. The Trust owns or manages 41 nature reserves. It also advises landowners on how to manage their land with wildlife in mind, and comments on structure plans and planning applications which affect sites of wildlife interest. The Trust is also actively involved in environmental education. For more information, contact Sharon Charity, Press Officer, on 01380 725670.

FOR GENERAL PRESS ENQUIRIES, CONTACT SHARON CHARITY, PRESS OFFICER.