Rubbish Audit

All of this week we have been collecting our own rubbish.  Today we sent home in individual plastic bags all the litter each child  “created” during the week.  It is surprising how quickly it mounts up!

We have discussed ways of reducing our lunch litter in particular, and so, as part of our reduce, reuse, recycle unit of study we are going to have a “Litter Free Lunchbox” Week  next week.  We would like parents to discuss ways of doing this with their child.  They will have some ideas:  reusable containers that can be washed each day are a great idea, with food that is taken from large packets rather than many small ones.  Perhaps fruit could be peeled/cut/quartered/decored and put in a container also.  Use of greaseproof paper could be an option rather than gladwrap, as paper is able to be recycled.

The following decomposing times makes sombre reading.

Cotton T-shirt                                1-2 months

Paper                                             2 months

Orange peel                                   6 months

Balloon                                          6 months

Woollen sock                                1 year

Wooden baseball bat                    20 years

Leather shoe                                 25-50 years

Disposable nappy                         75-450 years

Aluminium can                             80-250 years

Plastic sandwich bag                    20-400 years

Plastic bottle                                 500 years

Glass jar                                       maybe never

Car tyre                                        maybe never

Styrofoam cup                              maybe never