ABC schools lead the way for Circular Economy

In celebration of European Week for Waste Reduction, local reuse and repair organisation Northern Ireland Resources Network (NIRN) have launched a new zero waste environmental education programme, with three schools from the ABC Borough taking part.

St Francis Primary School, Lurgan, St Patrick's Primary School Aghagallon and Waringstown Primary School are part of the Zero Waste Champion programme which aims to embed Circular Economy principles and actions in schools, providing young people with knowledge about the Circular Economy and help to design waste out of their schools.

This pioneering pilot programme is a unique opportunity for schools to become Zero Waste Champions by participating in a series of workshops over the academic year followed by a celebration event to showcase their work. It is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland with the ambitious target of reducing consumption and introducing young people to reuse and repair as an alternative to landfill and recycling.

The interactive workshops will be delivered by Scottish environmental education organisation Ostrero alongside NIRN members FareShare NI addressing food waste, Habitat for Humanity looking at waste diversion and Tools for Solidarity teaching stitching skills and challenging textile waste.

Environment Minister, Andrew Muir said: "This is a wonderful example of funding from the Carrier Bag Levy supporting an environmental project to improve the understanding of waste prevention issues and promote behaviour change within schools and the community."

Eimear Montague, Executive Director NIRN said: "Young people are the next generation of decision makers and by helping them appreciate our resources early on - and equipping them with the knowledge and skills to extend the life of materials and products - we can support waste reduction and contribute to a more sustainable Northern Ireland."

The pilot is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Education and Rural Affairs (DAERA) through the Carrier Bag Levy, with the aim of rolling out the programme to schools across all council areas in autumn 2025. The programme will also be developed to include Zero Waste Champions in communities and workplaces following the pilot.

European Week for Waste Reduction runs from November 16-24 to raise awareness of waste reduction initiatives and inspire communities, individuals, local authorities and educational establishments to take actions. To see what is happening across Northern Ireland during the campaign check out www.ewwr.eu

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