24 September 2024 | Students from Lindisfarne North Primary School got into the spirit of waste management recently, thanks to our Let's Explore Waste program.
Big smiles: Grade 3/4 students from Lindisfarne North Primary School on their excursion day.
Developed by Landcare Tasmania, in partnership with Southern Waste Solutions and the Mornington Park Waste Transfer Station, the Let’s Explore Waste school education program shows waste disposal and recycling in action, teaching students to better understand their waste consumption and disposal habits.
The excursion started with an on-site visit to the Mornington Park Waste Transfer Station, where Bruce, the manager of site operations, explained how the waste transfer station worked and outlined the options for recycling before anything ends up in landfill.
Waste management in action: students enthralled by the machines used to sort recycling materials at the Mornington Waste Transfer Station. Photo credit: Bianca Burford.
The transfer station is an integrated waste management facility designed to minimise the disposal of valuable resources. It processes between 50,000 and 70,000 tonnes of waste material every year – the equivalent of 10 Olympic-sized swimming pools of waste! Approximately 40 per cent of this is diverted from landfill by sorting and processing, while the other 60 per cent is transported from Mornington to the Copping landfill facility.
As part of the excursion, students got to explore the properties of disposed and recycled material, understand how they are processed and consider how Tasmanians can play a crucial role in minimising and managing waste for future generations.
This included a visit to the Second Chance Re-Use it shop, where they saw the concepts of reusing and upcycling in action. The shop features a wide range of low cost pre-loved recoverable and reusable items, from housewares to building materials.
Their final destination to complete the excursion was the Southern Waste Solutions - Copping Landfill Site. Students travelled in the bus through the site, stopping to get off to view the tip face, the trucks, and learn about the scale of the site, thanks to their guide, waste program officer Sophia. They also had a look at the gas extraction and leachate evaporation systems.
Southern Waste Solutions waste program officer Sophia describing the operations at the Southern Waste Solutions - Copping Landfill Site. Photo credit: Bianca Burford.
Students were thrilled to spot a large semi-trailer which reversed into the landfill area to dump its load. Photo credit: Bianca Burford.
Machines were a big feature at the Southern Waste Solutions - Copping Landfill Site. Students learned how the large semi trailers come into the landfill site and are weighed at the weigh bridge which records the amount of waste delivered to landfill. They spotted dozers armed with spikey wheels operating on top of the 40 metre high landfill cells. Their job is to crush the rubbish at the landfill site. Other dozers with large scoops are used to cover the rubbish with soil to make sure it is secure.
In the right place at the right time
Landcare education coordinator Bianca Burford said it was a case of great timing.
"While the bus stopped on top of the landfill site, we saw a large semi-trailer drive up and empty the rubbish in its trailer. It was a perfect opportunity for the students to look closely and say what shouldn't be in the rubbish. They spotted items like cardboard, paper, wood, food waste, plastic bottles and green waste which clearly didn't belong in the landfill.
"A lively discussion followed, where the students talked about the importance of diverting these items out of the waste stream. It really made the students think twice about what they put in their rubbish bins at home and at school. And to reflect on the little things we do to sort our waste which can make a big difference."
Waste explorations at school
As part of the pre-excursion lesson plan provided by the Let's Explore Waste program, students conducted a waste audit at their school as well as a waste discussion activity before the excursion.
Inspired by their waste journey, upon returning to the school, the two classes excitedly embarked on further waste explorations including a composting experiment and an inquiry activity on how long it takes things to decompose.
Thanks to Southern Waste Solutions - Copping Landfill employees and Mornington Park Waste Transfer Station employees, as well as Lindisfarne North Primary students, teachers and helpers for a fabulous excursion.
Find out more about the Let's explore waste program here.
This program is delivered as part of Landcare Tasmania's Education program, in partnership with Southern Waste Solutions and Mornington Waste Transfer Station.
