Waste Education
Waste education helps people understand what happens to their waste and why it matters. From recycling and food scraps to plastics, landfill and beyond, our programs show how everyday choices impact our environment, community and resources.
Council’s waste education initiatives encourage positive behaviour change and support our community to reduce waste, recycle correctly and make more sustainable choices through engaging, practical learning experiences.
Our programs continue to grow and evolve in response to community needs and environmental challenges, so check back regularly to see what’s new.
Primary School Education Program
Council’s Primary School Education Program supports students from Prep to Year 6 to learn about waste, recycling and sustainability in engaging, age-appropriate ways. Sessions are interactive, curriculum-aligned and designed to build practical skills students can use at school, at home and in their community.
Through hands-on activities, discussion and real-world examples, students are encouraged to think critically about how everyday choices affect the environment and to explore simple, meaningful actions that help reduce waste and care for the places they live.
All sessions are delivered onsite at schools at no cost. Once a booking is confirmed, schools will receive a risk assessment along with information about any preparation required, including supervision expectations, space requirements and technology needs.
Explore each session below, then expand the year level relevant to your class to view session details.
Education Sessions
This Bin or That Bin?
Learning what goes where
Prep
Session overview
A playful introduction to waste and recycling designed especially for Prep students. Through songs, stories and hands-on sorting activities, students learn how to make the right choice at the bin and why those choices help care for our environment.
Students will learn:
- What waste is and where it comes from
- What items belong in each bin and which do not
- Why recycling is important for our environment
- How simple bin choices can help look after nature
Curriculum links: AC9HSFK03, AC9SFU03
Duration: 1 hour
Years 1-2
Session overview
An engaging, hands-on waste education session where students explore how waste and recycling are managed and why correct bin choices matter. Through interactive activities and guided discussion, students learn how their everyday actions can make a positive difference.
Students will learn:
- What waste is, how it is created, and where it goes after we throw it away
- How to identify common recyclable and non-recyclable items
- Why choosing the correct bin is important
- How recycling helps conserve resources and reduce landfill
Curriculum links: AC9HS1K04, AC9S2U03
Duration: 1 hour
Years 3-4
Session overview
A hands-on session that encourages students to think more deeply about their bin choices and the impact these choices have on the environment. Students investigate different materials, explore how waste systems work and discover why correct sorting matters.
Students will learn:
- How waste and recycling systems operate
- How to identify recyclable and non-recyclable materials
- Why correct sorting reduces landfill and contamination
- How their actions contribute to environmental care
Curriculum links: AC9HS3K06, AC9HS3S06, AC9HS4K06, AC9HS4S06
Duration: 1 hour
Years 5-6
Session overview
An interactive session that challenges students to think critically about recycling, contamination and the waste systems that support our communities. Using real-world examples, games and discussion, students explore how their decisions affect the environment and local services.
Students will learn:
- How waste and recycling systems operate
- How contamination impacts recycling outcomes
- How to use evidence and reasoning to make better bin choices
- Practical actions to reduce waste and protect the environment
Curriculum links: AC9HS5K05, AC9HS5S06, AC9S6U04
Duration: 1 hour
When Food Becomes Waste
And what happens next
Years 3-4
Session overview
A hands-on session that explores what happens to food when it becomes waste, from leftovers and scraps to food that goes uneaten. Through investigation, discussion and interactive activities, students explore why food is wasted, where it goes, and the impact this has on the environment. The session highlights that food scraps are not “just rubbish”, but valuable resources.
Students will learn:
- What food waste is and why it is a problem
- Where food waste goes after it is thrown away
- How food scraps can be turned into compost or other resources
- Practical ways to reduce food waste at home and school
Curriculum links: AC9S3H02, AC9S4H02
Duration: 1 hour
Plastic Here, Pollution There
How plastics impact the world
Years 3-4
Session overview
An interactive session that helps students understand why plastics exist, how they are used and what happens after they are thrown away. Through real-world examples and hands-on activities, students explore how plastic travels through our environment and the impacts it has on wildlife, ecosystems and communities.
Students will learn:
- Why plastics are used and how their properties influence their purpose
- How plastic moves through natural and built environments
- The environmental and community impacts of plastic pollution
- How everyday choices can reduce harm and protect the places we care about
Curriculum links: AC9HS3K05, AC9HS4S06, AC9S4U04, AC9S4H02
Duration: 1 hour
What If Waste Could...
Imagine a world of possibilities
Years 5-6
Session overview
In this future-focused session, students explore what happens when we stop thinking of waste as “just rubbish” and start seeing it as a valuable resource. Students are introduced to circular economy thinking and work together to reimagine everyday waste challenges and design more sustainable solutions.
Students will learn:
- Why waste should be viewed as a resource rather than an end point
- How the take–make–waste model impacts the environment
- What a circular economy is and how it works
- How purchasing and consumption choices influence environmental outcomes
Curriculum links: AC9HS5K08, AC9HS5S05, AC9HS5S06, AC9HS6K08, AC9HS6S01, AC9HS6S06
Duration: 1 hour
Session Bookings
To request a session, please email resourcerecovery@gympie.qld.gov.au with the subject line “Primary School Education Program”.
In your email, include:
- Your school name
- Preferred dates and times
- The session you would like delivered
- The number of students attending
Our team will be in touch to confirm availability and next steps.