Great Harwood: Pupils collect mountain of plastic as part of national survey

Students from St Wulstan’s Primary school in Great Harwood have been tasked with collecting an entire week's worth of their household plastic waste during their recent holidays.

Hyndburn MP Sara Britcliffe joined the 30 students as they sorted through, studied and recorded data on their wide range of soft and hard plastics.

The school was one of the first in the UK to take part in The Big Plastic Count, joining more than 60,000 households and nearly 1,200 school classes nationwide who have so far pledged to take part in the challenge between May 16 and 22. 

The Big Plastic Count is a citizen science project launched by Greenpeace UK and non-profit organisation Everyday Plastic.

It encourages individuals, households, schools, community groups and businesses across the UK to count their plastic packaging waste, record the different types they throw away and enter their results into the campaign website.

MP Sara Britcliffe joined the 30 students as they sorted through the plastic. Pic: (Angela Christofilou / Greenpeace)

The UK currently lacks data on how much waste is leaving its households each year and what happens to it. 

This is only the latest action on plastic waste from the eco-aware students at St Wulstan’s.

Last year with the support of the Laudato Si Movement and Prospects Foundation the students created an elephant sculpture from eco bricks - plastic bottles filled with single use plastic.

Fiona Hadfield, Headteacher at St Wulstan’s Roman Catholic Primary, said: "Our children have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside Bob and Joel in developing their understanding of their responsibility to protect our common home. 

"The Earth is what we all have in common and our children are stewards of it. 

"They know that in order for the Earth to be protected for their own and future generations, we have to do all we can to conserve the beauty of our planet and they have worked very hard at looking at ways they can help. 

"This has included making eco bricks, eco benches, eco animals, crisp packet blankets, planting apple trees, speaking to our local MP and much more."

Chris Thorne, Plastics Campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: "We’ve been blown away by the hard work and enthusiasm shown by the student’s at St Wulstan’s.

"It’s clear they really understand the plastic crisis and are doing their bit to help tackle it. 

"The sheer volume of plastic waste we see around us can sometimes feel overwhelming, but that’s why taking part in events like The Big Plastic Count is so important.

"The evidence the children have gathered will help us push the government and supermarkets to do more to cut plastic production so we can finally get to grips with the UK’s plastic waste problem."

Bob Turner, a local eco educator from the Laudato Si Movement, added: "In the three years I’ve been working with St Wulstans the children have developed a growing interest in environmental issues which they highlighted in the Elephant in the Room project before COP26 last year. 

"They invited their MP in to answer serious questions relating to Deforestation, Biodiversity and Plastic Pollution. In school activism is a great way for the children to understand what’s happening and to be a part of the solution – the future is theirs after all!"

Joel Henderson, from the Prospects Foundation, said: "Prospects have been working with Laudato Si and St Wulstans for nearly two years . 

"The children have been incredible throughout and have really thrown themselves into trying to solve the plastic problem. It’s our hope that we have equipped them with the tools to create positive environmental change as they enter the workplace in the years to come. 

"I’m sure they will never forget the experiences we have been able to share with them and we look forward to their future achievements."

Details on how to sign up for to The Big Plastic Count can be found at thebigplasticcount.com