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Food waste collections from Bristol schools

Between 2007 and 2009 Resource Futures worked with Bristol City Council and their contractor to pilot the collection of food waste and cardboard from schools for in-vessel composting, and to roll collections out to most schools in the city. 

Project pilot

Resource Futures recruited 18 Bristol primary schools to pilot the collection of food waste and cardboard for recycling. Schools were selected on the basis of their active and long-standing involvement in the Waste Education project delivered by Resource Futures on behalf of the council. Our Education Officer therefore  had excellent relationships with teachers, pupils, and school caretakers in all participating schools.

Resource Futures co-ordinated the following activities during the pilot and subsequent roll out:

  • assemblies to explain the new system to pupils and teachers
  • meetings with school caretakers and cooks to introduce the system, discuss logistical issues and resolve problems
  • producing child-friendly signs and bin lables for schools
  • liaison between the schools and the collection contractor over bin delivery and collection, including trouble-shooting 
  • obtaining feedback from participating schools and evaluating the pilot

Primary roll-out

Following the evaluation of the pilot, Resource Futures supported Bristol City Council in its plan to roll out the service to all the primary and special schools in Bristol.  This involved the same key activities as we had undertaken during the pilot (see above).  In addition we liased closely with the council department responsible for the school meals contract; co-ordinated the purchase of cornstarch liners; and produced publicity materials aimed at adults working in the schools.

During this period Resource Futures also worked closely with the council and their contractor to pilot a collection mechanism suitable for the large amounts of food waste generated by secondary schools, including independent schools with boarding houses.

Following this phase of the project we gathered and analysed extensive feedback from teachers, caretakers and school cooks, using telephone interviews and online surveys.

Secondary roll-out

The final stage of the project involved the roll out of collections to secondary schools across the city. Resource Futures' team included an experienced secondary teacher who was well placed to:

  • deliver assemblies to engage older pupils with food waste issues and encourage them to use the new system
  • understand the logistical challenges of larger organisations and school sites, and work with SITA to resolve any issues arising
  • design and distribute curriculum-linked materials for teachers to use to develop pupils' understanding of the local and global issues sourrounding food waste 

Project Synopses

Food waste collections from Bristol schools

Between 2007 and 2009 Resource Futures worked with Bristol City Council and their contractor to pilot the collection of food waste and cardboard from schools for in-vessel composting, and to roll collections out to most schools in the city. 

In-vessel composting at Stowford Primary School

Resource Futures' Composting in Schools Project supports a school to divert 2½ tonnes of food waste from landfill in one year.

South West region comes together to tackle food waste

In autumn 2009, the South West Waste and Recycling Forum (SWWRF) and Resource Futures worked with all the 35 local authorities (LAs) across the South West to deliver a collaborative campaign on food waste reduction, which was conceived by the forum the previous year.

News and Events

Community RePaint: A Helping Hand for Hearts and Minds in 2011

In 2011, householders, traders and paint manufacturers donated 343,957 litres of paint to Community RePaint schemes, which then distributed 217,112 litres to community groups and individuals saving 565 tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent of taking 192 cars off our roads - and providing 766 volunteer and training opportunities. The network now has over 65 schemes across the UK with four new schemes about to start at the beginning of 2012.    

Resource Futures helps WRAP understand recent reductions in food waste

Resource Futures has recently helped WRAP to estimate how much household food waste has decreased nationally in recent years, with the recently published “Synthesis of Food Waste Compositional Data 2010” To see the report, click here.