Derbyshire Dales District Council has been rewarding schools across the district for their ‘green’ actions. The 17 schools in the district who have paper recycling banks have received ‘recycling credit’ payments based on the tonnes of paper they have recycled this year as well as recycling certificates congratulating their hard work.

The districts top paper recyclers were South Darley Primary School who recycled 5.43 tonnes and Highfields Upper School in Matlock who recycled 10.47 tonnes!

Lynn Davies, Assistant Headteacher and Head of Upper School at Highfields said “We have a large paper bank outside and a number of wheeled bins donated by the District Council to collect the paper at recycling points around the school and special paper bins in each classroom. This system has been very simple to use and staff and pupils have been extremely positive about making sure we recycle as much paper as possible. The money we have earned from paper recycling will be put towards starting a push to recycle more plastic bottles from the school to further improve our environmental performance.”

Every tonne of paper recycled saves around 15 trees and this year Derbyshire Dales Schools with paper banks have saved the equivalent of over 770 trees.

If you would like more information on how to Reduce, Re-use, Recycle and “Watch Your Waste’ at home visit derbyshiredales.gov.uk, call the Environment Hotline on 01629 761215 or email environmenthotline@derbyshiredales.gov.uk to request a booklet. If you would like more information about recycling in your local school please contact Georgina Cass, Environmental Education Officer on 01629 761318 or email georgina.cass@derbyshiredales.gov.uk.