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School waste, recycling and composting

Many schools within North Herts choose us for their waste and recycling collections.

How to apply

Email the Commercial Waste team at commercial.waste@north-herts.gov.uk to start setting the service up for your school.

Cost

There are small charges made for both the waste and recycling service to cover the cost of collections, but the service can be tailored to your schools needs. Email us to get a quote.

What can be recycled

The recycling service includes:

  • paper
  • mixed recyclables (plastic bottles, tubs, pots and trays, cartons, glass, cans and tins)
  • a free food waste recycling service

Any bins which contain incorrect items will not be emptied. Your school will be required to remove any incorrect items before your next collection date. You can contact us to empty the bin as refuse for an additional charge.

The school must ensure that bins are accessible on collection day by 7am. Any gates or buildings must be unlocked to ensure clear access. Collection staff are not able to hold keys for any gates or doors that may need opening.

Making schools recycling a success

For the recycling service to work, everyone in the school needs to be aware of the materials which can be recycled and where they should go.

The bins issued to schools are clearly labelled to identify which materials should be placed inside.

Only liners approved by NHDC can be used in the food waste bin. These can either be paper liners or liners which have the seedling logo on.  If you wish to use compostable liners please contact either Alina or Hertfordshire supplies online shop.

For information and advice about how to making your recycling a success read our 'How everyone can get involved' guide. Recycle Now also has some useful resources for recycling in schools.

We suggest schools carry out a Waste Audit with pupil involvement to ascertain how much waste they are producing. A further waste audit at a later date will then allow schools to compare the waste they produce after they start recycling.

Schools recycling visits

Our waste officers are available to visit your school to help promote recycling with school assemblies and workshops.

Visits are tailored to your educational needs and are adapted for nursery through to secondary school age groups.

Outreach visits can also be arranged through WasteAware.

Teaching resources

Education packs are available from Hertfordshire County Council. The factsheets are suitable for both students and teachers.

The resource packs are designed for use in the classroom, and contain a brief explanation of the topic as well as interesting facts.

Waste Audit