Mayor Geoff Kettle praised the efforts of local schools and pre-school organisations in supporting the campaign.

“During the week some 400 young people will take part in waste education activities and more groups are booked in for the next week,” Cr Kettle said.

“We also have school groups join in other recycling activities throughout the year. Only recently a new waste education campaign featuring Kookaburra Glenn Turner was launched at East Goulburn Primary School.

“Our schools, teachers and students have a great commitment to recycling and protecting the environment, which means the future of Goulburn Mulwaree is in very safe hands.”

Council’s waste education officer Teena Riley coordinated a National Recycling Week colouring-in competition and hosted waste education activities at Eastgrove Child Care Centre, Windellama Public School and Wollondilly Public School.

Thanks to Goulburn Produce and Tumbleweed, two compost bins and two worm farms have been donated as prizes for the most enthusiastic schools or pre-school organisations in joining in National Recycling Week activities and the colouring- in competition.

“It is amazing how much preschool and primary students already know about the importance of recycling right and the benefits this brings to our environment,” Ms Riley said.

“My aim is to add to this knowledge in a fun and interactive way, including running waste education races with the children. It is also great to be able to offer compost bins and worm farms as prizes this year, thanks to the support of Goulburn Produce and Tumbleweed.

“In Goulburn Mulwaree we have a particular focus on teaching people that everything that goes in their yellow lid recycling bin is hand sorted at Endeavour Industries, so it is really important to get it right. What can and can’t go in the recycling bin is printed on the lid of the bin, and on the back of waste collection calendars. Rural residents can also recycle as council collects plastics, paper/cardboard, glass and steel for recycling at all local Waste Management Centres.

“The children are also interested to hear that waste from their organic, or green lid bins, is turned into valuable compost. Many schools, such as Windellama Public School, already have great systems in place, such as collecting bread scraps for chickens and recycling within the school.”