Classroom showing a chalkboard and art supplies as well as a child's table and chairs
An illustration of a robot, a monster and a scientist below the words 'the Zero Wasters'

What is the Waste Nothing Schools Challenge?

Our Waste Nothing Schools Challenge is a take-home challenge to educate and encourage school pupils and their families to reduce waste and recycle more at home.

We are running this as an inter-school challenge, launching as a trial in March 2021. We’re challenging primary school pupils with five fun tasks which they need to complete – school points are up for grabs!

In March 2021 we will launch the challenge with a trial for nine schools across Bristol where they will compete for top spot. In a fun and interactive way, students are encouraged to reduce waste, litter and recycle more in the household.

A circle of colourful pencils with the tips pointing in towards each other

Who is the challenge for?

The challenge is aimed at primary school children, Key Stage 1-2. To launch the challenge, we have signed up nine primary schools.

My young person is taking part

Great news, your young person is getting involved in something really important and leading the way for Waste Nothing Schools!

You have five challenges to complete, these are best done as a family. We want to see what you’ve all been doing so just fill in each page and hand it back to the teacher by the date provided by your school.

  1. A waste free lunch
  2. Reuse activities
  3. Be a recycling boss!
  4. Slim your food waste
  5. Litter picking

Why not explain to your friends and family why dropping litter is bad, read about the impact litter has on not only wildlife but our pets in our Litter Hurts campaign.

Stay safe:

  1. Litter pick when it’s safe. Don’t pick anything up with bare hands – if you don’t have a litter picker then use gloves
  2. Borrow a litter picking kit
  3. Don’t pick up sharp or nasty objects, they can be reported here
  4. Follow government social distancing guidance at all times

As well as filling in the booklet, why not show us via social what you’ve been up to?

Use the hashtag #WasteNothing and tag us on Facebook: @bristolwaste, Twitter: @BristolWaste and Instagram: @bristolwastecompany

If you need another copy of the challenge you can download it here.

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Waste Nothing Schools Challenge booklet
(725 KB)

Image of an award certificate with the words "Waste Nothing Gold Award Bristol Waste Waste Nothing Schools

What do we win?

Each participating student will gain a Zero Waster badge for completing each challenge (provided with your challenge booklet).

Schools can award house or class points for exceptional engagement so make sure your young person helps their house or class win by completing each challenge!

The school with the highest participation will be the winners of an exciting prize!

An illustration of a robot, a monster and a scientist below the words The Zero Wasters with the Bristol Waste logo and the Waste Nothing Schools Challenge logo

My school missed out on the trial of the challenge – what can we do?

All you need to do is get in touch with us by emailing schools@bristolwastecompany.co.uk with your school’s details. If this trial is successful, which we very much hope it will be, we will be rolling it out for many more schools to get involved later in the year.

Leader board

Our Waste Nothing Schools Challenge leader board shows which schools have finished the challenge and where they rank against other participating Waste Nothing Schools.

School Challenge start date Challenge end date   % of pupils participated  Place
e.g. Bristol Primary 15 March 2021 29 March 2021 65% 1st place!