School pupils design recycling art work

Four primary school pupils from Stoke-on-Trent schools have been announced as winners of the city council’s ‘Design our bin wagons’ competition.

At the start of the academic year, Year 6 pupils from Stoke-on-Trent schools were invited to design new recycling themed artwork to go on the city council’s bin wagons for 2020. After receiving numerous entries, a judging panel made up of: Councillor Carl Edwards, cabinet member for environment, the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Jackie Barnes, Nick Bentley, Waste Client Manager and Matthew Lowe, Sustainability Officer at the city council picked four winners.

In an unveiling ceremony held by the Lord Mayor at Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Waste Management Centre the winners, Areeba Tariq and Zikai Wang from Holden Lane Primary School and Ruby Foster and Grace Wright from Sandford Hill Primary School were presented with certificates and got the chance to see the bin wagons in action.

Councillor Carl Edwards, cabinet member for the environment said: “Here at the city council we actively promote recycling to all generations and our environmental waste team regularly visit schools to talk about recycling. It was fantastic to see all the entries we received and we hope the residents of Stoke-on-Trent will see the newly designed bin wagons and remember to recycle.”

The Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Jackie Barnes said: “It was great to see how many entries we received. The four designs picked all had strong and clear messages about recycling. I’m looking forward to seeing the designs when the wagons are emptying bins around the city.”

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is urging people to recycle properly. When items that cannot be recycled are put in the wrong bin, the whole bin lorry load is affected and items cannot be recycled correctly.

Items that can be recycled and put in blue bins are:  Empty plastic bottles without tops (put tops in the bin separately) and other plastic pots, tubs and trays, Clean steel and aluminium food and drink cans, foil and aerosols, Black plastic food trays, Washed glass bottles and jars with tops or lids removed, placed tops/lids in bin separately, Squashed cardboard without tape, Food and drink cartons

Residents can check what items go in each bin at www.stoke.gov.uk/info/20002/rubbish_and_recycling