Hillingdon Council has introduced an exciting new recycling campaign aimed at primary school children, titled ‘That’s not my recycling’. Inspired by the popular ‘That’s not my’ children’s book series, the initiative seeks to educate young students about the importance of proper recycling practices and reduce contamination.
The campaign was officially launched at Ruislip Gardens Primary School, where Councillor Lavery joined pupils in unveiling the new initiative. The program encourages children to remind adults to only place recyclable items in clear bags, helping to improve recycling efforts across the borough.
As part of the campaign, primary schools throughout Hillingdon will receive an educational toolkit that includes a link to an engaging short video and a variety of digital learning resources. These resources, tailored for children up to the age of 10, feature interactive quizzes and games designed to make learning about recycling fun and accessible.
Usborne Publishing, the creators of the beloved book series, have endorsed the campaign, ensuring that the educational content aligns with the familiar and engaging style of their books. The campaign’s video focuses on the top five items that frequently contaminate dry, mixed recycling collections, providing clear guidance on what should and should not be included in recycling bags.
Building on the success of the council’s existing ‘Top of the Contaminants’ campaign, this initiative aims to encourage small, positive changes in household recycling habits. By educating young children and their families, Hillingdon Council hopes to further reduce contamination and enhance overall recycling efficiency.
Recycling contamination occurs when non-recyclable items, such as clothing, are mistakenly placed in clear recycling bags. When too many non-recyclable items are present, entire loads of recyclable materials risk being rejected at sorting facilities and may end up as general waste, negatively impacting the environment.
The council is confident that by fostering awareness and engagement among schoolchildren, the ‘That’s not my recycling’ campaign will play a crucial role in improving recycling habits borough-wide and contributing to a greener future for Hillingdon.
Headteacher, Nicky Bulpett, said: “We believe in empowering our pupils to become environmental champions. We fully support the council’s ambition to educate children about the importance of proper recycling practices.
“By understanding how to reduce contamination, our pupils can take these lessons home, helping their families improve recycling efforts. Together, we can make a significant impact on our community and contribute to a cleaner, greener future.”
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Environment, said: “We’re driven in our ambition to deliver a greener future for the next generation and so we hope this campaign can inspire and empower children to speak out when people aren’t recycling right.
“By engaging them in a fun familiar way we hope they’ll be excited to talk about recycling and the environment at school and at home and encourage small changes in behaviour. “We’ve had positive engagement with our ‘Top of the Contaminants’ campaign and we hope this next phase captures the imagination of our younger residents in the same way.”
