Recycle your cycles at Pontypridd High – and help students create the first zero-waste school in the country.
Since the start of the year, pupils at Pontypridd High School’s Eco Committee have been working closely with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Streetcare Team on a project to make theirs the “greenest” school of all.
The latest pioneering initiative in the school to help them achieve their aim, is creating a recycling centre for old bicycles and spare parts called “Recycle Cycle”.
Thanks to an initial £500 donation from the Council’s Streetcare department, the group of eight pupils have their own garage space in the school where the old bikes are stored for them to overhaul.
Abandoned and dumped bikes or spare parts are retrieved from all of the Council’s Community Recycling Sites throughout the county borough and taken to the school.
Then pupils spend their spare time rebuilding the bikes before donating them to various causes such as charity shops or selling them on to build up a fund which will go towards buying more mechanical parts.
The initiative was jointly launched by the Council and Pontypridd High School and already the children have around 30 bicycles in storage which are ready for a full revamp.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Frontline Services Cllr Anthony Christopher said: “This is yet another of the many inspiring projects launched by our Streetcare Team year in year out. They have been at the very forefront of the recycling and waste agenda in Wales and are a credit to the county borough.
“Partnership working is key to the success of such initiatives, as seen with the ongoing achievements of the Green Glyncoch scheme, and I’m sure Pontypridd High School will also reach their ultimate goal to become the country’s first zero waste school.”
Jim Sullivan, Building the Future Together keyworker at the school said: “The Building the Future Together project team are pleased to have engaged with the already strong and vibrant eco-friendly ethos of the school.
“Having initiated the project for and behalf of the school the project team are sure that ‘Re Cycle Cycle’ will enhance the existing environmental projects at the school.”
If you can assist Pontypridd High School with their new zero-waste initiative, contact the Council’s Streetcare Team on 01443 827700.
