About Recycle for Learning

For schools, by schools

Recycle for Learning is a scheme that will divert 10,000 tonnes annually of paper waste from landfill. It entails collecting waste office paper from schools, reprocessing it to produce 100% recycled paper, which is then returned to the schools, thereby creating a closed loop project.

Devised by the Apsley Paper Trail, the project places schools at the heart of a long term paper recycling programme. Teachers, students and their families become actively involved in various stages of the paper cycle and in the process gain a better knowledge and understanding of recycling and sustainability. For example this project can demonstrate:

• The amazing process that transforms old paper into new.
• The extraordinary collaboration of public, private and voluntary organisations.
• Closing the loop by generating new paper for schools out of their waste paper.

Scheme outline

With guidance and support material from the Recycle for Learning team secondary schools are encouraged to save white office waste, (this is predominantly white A4 consumed in schools, homes, and offices, it is the most commonly used paper for writing, drawing, printing and copying). This waste paper is then collected on behalf of The Paper Trail. It is reprocessed and made into new recycled paper and returned to the schools. There are a number of benefits that participating schools will recognise. For example:

• Some schools will choose to join because it is a socially responsible activity and they want to educate students about recycling and its benefits.
• Others will realise they can save money on their waste collection and reduce the cost of new paper purchased.

Scheme incentives

Participating schools will be rewarded with PaperPoints. For each kilo of waste paper collected from the school it will in return receive one Paper Point. These can be exchanged for free recycled paper and other valuable resources including educational resource material, and class trips to Apsley Paper Trail’s own historic paper mill where some of this waste is reprocessed.

In addition to the discarded paper from the classroom and schools administration, schools can generate additional PaperPoints by encouraging parents to recycle their own used white paper via the school, but this is only where the local authorities do not encourage the collection of this paper grade via kerbside or other collection system.