Schools Program

About the Rethink Waste Schools Program

Rethink Waste Schools throughout Tasmania reduce waste by taking actions to avoid, reduce, reuse, recycle (ARRR!) – while developing positive environmental values in students and the entire school community. Rethink Waste Schools model responsible environmental behaviours through hands-on learning experiences that are linked to the Australian Curriculum. The program helps schools set up infrastructure and provides resources aimed at changing attitudes and behaviours towards sustainable waste management. The program is free and available to all schools in Tasmania.

Plus… The Northern Tasmanian Waste Management Group (NTWMG) and Cradle Coast Waste Management Group (CCWMG) have Waste Education Officers who visit schools, residents, community groups and businesses to provide advice and education about reducing waste.

The NTWMG Officers are able to travel to Launceston, West Tamar, Meander Valley, Northern Midlands, Dorset, Break O’Day and George Town council areas. If you’d like to find out more or arrange a visit, please contact the Northern Tasmanian Waste Management Group.

The CCWMG Officer is able to travel to schools in the Circular Head, Waratah-Wynyard, Burnie, Central Coast, Devonport, Latrobe and Kentish council areas.
Learn more about the Cradle Coast region’s schools program by viewing the introductory videos in the Playlist on the Rethink Waste Tasmania youtube channel.
To arrange a visit, complete the relevant Expression of Interest form for your area under the “At School” tab and an Officer will be in touch:

What’s involved?

The Rethink Waste Schools program consists of three main documents:

The first outlines what is involved in the program and how schools can participate. The second and third, the Action Plan Toolkit and Waste Audit Toolkit, are designed to be completed concurrently, with the results of the Waste Audit informing the actions in the Action Plan Toolkit.

Essentially the Waste Audit will allow your school to measure the waste that needs to be managed, and the Action Plan will allow your school to manage the measured waste.

Rethink Waste Schools:

  • develop an action plan to improve waste management in the whole school environment
  • put together a team to champion the ideals of sustainability and drive the school community towards achieving waste management goals
  • undertake waste audits once a year
  • use the action plan in the classroom to help students meet their curriculum outcomes.

The Rethink Waste Schools Philosophy

The Rethink Waste Schools program has been developed based on best practice education for sustainability principles. The overarching message of the program is to reduce, reuse and recycle, to promote the sustainable use of natural resources and minimise our collective environmental footprint.

Our philosophy is also to share resources and knowledge to inspire positive change. In addition to the free Rethink Waste Tasmania Schools Program, there are also resources and activities on Waste Education provided by the Tasmanian Government covering topics such as litter and plastic pollution. You can access these resources from the Tasmanian Environmental Management website.

Your Waste Management Groups

The Rethink Waste Schools Program is an initiative of the Cradle Coast Waste Management Group (CCWMG) and the Northern Tasmanian Waste Management Group (NTWMG).

The CCWMG and the NTWMG were created to help local councils manage waste and educate the community on waste related issues. This education program is the result of successful cooperation between the two groups and is a step towards unified waste management in the state.