For most large schools it would be too daunting a commitment: zero waste by 2025 and off-grid by 2030.
While initially intimidated by the ambitious target, Tom Linnell is guiding Mount Gambier’s Tenison Woods College towards its goal.
During Mr Linnell’s six years as the college’s sustainability officer, he’s overseen a number of projects but none greater than the Project Recology Centre, a waste management hub converting the site’s plastic into everyday items.
Eight months in, the site’s churning through 20 kilograms of plastic a day.
A recycled space in itself, the reclaimed old groundsman shed is a hive of activity.
ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham
)Since its inception, the project has recycled more than five tonnes of plastic that would have otherwise gone to landfill and is a safe and creative space for the students that use it.
For some, the centre is a motivator for coming to school, something Mr Linnell credits to the site’s new overseer Callum Unger.
“Callum’s been a real driver in building those relationships [with the students],” Mr Linnell said.
ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham
)Special interaction with students
Callum Unger designs projects with individual classes as well as offers one-on-one sessions with older students who take a special interest.
A recent project involved year 5 classes creating classroom benches.
ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham
)As the students get older the projects get more advanced.
“The kids are a huge driver, their imaginations just asking what’s possible.
One of the designers leading the way is John. A budding builder, the year 10 student has always been interested in “anything you can get your hands on”.
“[This] has opened my eyes a fair bit,” John said.
“It’s amazing how everybody can just chuck bottle caps out but you can reuse them. You could build cubby houses, benches, tables, anything really.
ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham
)More into cars than anything, John now wonders how he could transfer recycled plastic to car manufacturing.
“Most of your car is made out of metal but the front and back bumper are made out of plastic, so possibly to there and in the interior,” John said.
Saving waste from landfill
At first they had “too much plastic”. Eight months on they cannot get enough.
“We’re fighting to get more colours and more plastics through as the students are coming through and more class projects are happening,” Mr Unger said.
ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham
)The centre is now pumping out items like plant boxes, clipboards, jewellery, school signs and crates.
Many of these items are made with polypropylene as it’s the best to laser cut.
ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham
)A recent project with Mr Linnell’s year 9 Precious Plastics class was salvaging some old school desks.
“[The class] saw one of the school’s groundsmen driving a trailer stacked sky-high with old school tables that were headed to the scrap metal yard,” Mr Linnell said.
They kept the frames and replaced the tops with recycled plastic sheets.
ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham
)Expanding to the community
The school is now looking at potential partnerships in the region, offering businesses their products as well as taking their waste.
“That wasn’t really the goal when we started out,” Mr Linnell said.
He said the input of students had helped him realise and re-realise what’s possible with the centre.
ABC South East SA: Bec Whetham
)Mr Unger says interested leaders and businesses owners have toured the site to see what can be done.
“Hopefully within the next little while we’ll be able to sell our products within the community,” Mr Unger said.
With or without a commercial element, Mr Unger said the most rewarding part had been passing his knowledge on to people like John.
