We offer a range of services to schools and education providers to assist with waste reduction.
There’s a lot of waste that comes out of a classroom daily that can easily be recycled or composted. By learning about reuse, repurpose, and repair and setting up good waste separation systems you can achieve a range of benefits for your school, including reducing costs and creating positive learning experiences for students.
New waste education school units available in Tauranga
Tauranga City Council now offers two new waste education units for Years 3-4 (Remarkable Recycling) and Years 5-6 (Rethinking Waste). Delivered over two in-class lessons (one teacher-led, one facilitator-led), these units focus on reducing, reusing, recycling, and raising awareness of waste’s environmental impact, especially on Papatūānuku (Earth Mother). Students each receive a workbook to support their learning and will develop critical thinking and decision-making skills and improve their knowledge on recycling in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Both units have been developed with qualified education specialists and are aligned with the current New Zealand Curriculum. Across the units they cover Science, and Social Science, as well as encouraging collaboration and problem-solving. Students will investigate waste issues, explore environmental impacts, and develop critical thinking and decision-making skills.
How to book a unit
Both units are free to Tauranga schools and are available for primary school students in Years 3-4 and 5-6.;
Remarkable Recycling brochure - Years 3-4 (7.3mb pdf) Rethinking Waste brochure - Years 5-6 (7.3mb pdf)
Register your interest for waste education in your school
Zero Waste Education
Schools and preschools in Tauranga city can book the award winning Zero Waste Education programme offering units to pre-schoolers aged 3-5 and students in years 1–8. All units are delivered by a Zero Waste education specialist teacher and are free to schools thanks to funding from Tauranga City Council. The programme can be tailored and timetabled to fit the needs of your school.
Find out more about Zero Waste Education
House of Science
Tauranga City Council sponsors the “A Load of Rubbish” science kit for schools in the Tauranga region through our partnership with House of Science. This hands-on kit helps students explore waste minimisation and sustainability in a practical, engaging way. By investigating how waste impacts our environment, and learning strategies to reduce, reuse, and recycle, students gain valuable knowledge and skills that support positive environmental action.
Find out more about House of Science
Waste-Ed periods
Tauranga City Council works with Waste-ed Kate to deliver waste-free period workshops in schools. These sessions provide practical advice on sustainable menstrual products and highlight the environmental benefits of reusable options. By normalising these conversations, schools can help reduce waste and empower students to make informed choices that are better for the planet.
Find out more about Waste-Ed periods
Composting and worm-farming in schools
Does your school currently have a compost or worm farm system to deal with your food scraps? The Zero Waste Education programme includes a composting unit where students can build their very own mini worm farm as a learning tool. Alternatively, download our worm farm and composting factsheets.
Paper4trees
This programme encourages recycling of paper and cardboard by providing recycling bins (free of charge) for each classroom. Schools are rewarded with native plants or trees depending on how much paper is recycled in the school year.
Find out more about Paper4Trees