Model landfill to teach waste management

St Joseph’s school pupils (from left) Jewel Job, Anvi Nand, enviroschools teacher Natalie Heather, Maria Hafoka, Angelina Pardede, Eva Mino Zubiri, Isla Fraser-Wood and Phoebe Cogle display some rubbish to be buried in the model landfill. PHOTOS: NIC DUFF

That is the message St Joseph’s School is trying to teach its students about rubbish.

The school built their own model landfill last week.

Pupils dug a hole in the school field before burying various types of waste, to be dug up again in term four.

It is part of their enviroschools programme aimed at teaching children about responsibly dealing with rubbish, St Joseph’s enviroschools lead Nat Heather said.

St Joseph’s junior pupils Aria Bird, left, and Noah Allardice, both 6, take their turn digging the ‘‘landfill’’ hole.

"The children don’t really have an understanding of what happens to the rubbish once they put it in the bin," Mrs Heather said.

"In six months’ time when we dig it up, their prediction is that it will not be there anyway. I want to show them that it will still be there."

Minimising waste was the overarching theme, Mrs Heather said.

"The big thing behind it is just to bring more awareness of ‘what do I do with my rubbish’ and then to think about minimising the purchasing of plastic."

Xavier Roa, 5, left, and Ayden John Ashish, 6, hopped in the hole before beginning digging.

Mrs Heather said in class, they discussed different ways to reduce the amount of plastic used.

"One of the examples we talk about is instead of buying multi packs of snacks, buy a big pack and then put it into something you can wash out.

"Yes you can still buy that product, but you’re reducing your impact on the environment with your disposal of it."

The school also set up compost bins for pupils to put their food scraps and a worm farm.