Collecting Data to Validate Single-Use Plastic is an Issue on Campus
Objective: To get more conclusive statistics on Newpark’s current plastic consumption and how much of our bins are made up of plastic waste.
How we did it: We selected two bins at random from every floor in the school. We then split into teams of two or three and divided the floors amongst ourselves. We agreed that every day from 11/01 – 18/01 we would conduct a bin audit in the last ten minutes of lunch on the bins in our assigned location. At the end, we would compile our results and analyse Newpark’s rate of plastic consumption. The floors were divided as follows;
Top floor: Cian, Rowan Caia & Nathan
Middle floor: Mia, Liza, Edoardo & Oscar
Ground floor: Oscar Constantine & Oisin
Red Brick building: Sydney & Cillian
Results:
Bin (no.) | Thurs 11 | Fri 12 | Mon 15 | Tues 16 | Wed 17 |
1 | SUP
YOGURT Crisp packets Cartons Cans PLW CUTLERY |
P. BAGS
Crisp packets PLW Tinfoil |
Cardboard box
SUP Crisp packets S/C-B wrappers SUPLC YOGURT |
SUPLC
Crisp packets CUTLERY S/C-B wrappers
|
SUPLC
Tinfoil S/C-B wrappers Crisp packets CUTLERY SUP YOGURT |
2 | Crisp packets
Coffee cups P. BAGS PLW SUP YOGURT CUTLERY |
Crisp packets
SUP SUPLC Paper CUTLERY |
SUP
Crisp packets PLW YOGURT SUPLC Tinfoil P. BAG |
SUPLC
YOGURT Crisp packets Cartons S/C-B wrappers Coffee cups Tinfoil CUTLERY |
Tinfoil
SUP SUPLC Cartons P.BAGS S/C-B wrappers Crisp packets |
3 | SUP
SUPLC PLW Crisp packets S/C-B wrappers CUTLERY |
Paper
PLW YOGURT P. BAGS S/C-B wrappers CUTLERY |
Coffee cup
Pringles can Tinfoil Crisp packets S/C-B wrappers CUTLERY |
Cartons
P. BAGS SUPLC CUTLERY S/C-B wrappers SUP |
SUP
Carton Tinfoil Cans PLW CUTLERY SUPLC |
4 | SUPLC
CUTLERY S/C-B wrappers Cans P. BAGS |
Paper
S/C-B wrappers SUPLC CUTLERY |
Tinfoil
PLW P. BAGS Cartons SUPLC S/C-B wrappers SUP |
YOGURT
Tinfoil S/C-B wrappers |
Paper
SUP SUPLC Crisp packets Tinfoil YOGURT Coffee cups |
5 | SUP
Cartons S/C-B wrappers YOGURT |
PLW
Cardboard Crisp packets S/C-B wrappers SUP SUPLC |
Tinfoil
Crisp packets PLW CUTLERY
|
P. BAGS
CUTLERY Coffee cups SUPLC Cartons YOGURT SUP |
Tinfoil
Crisp packets PLW SUP SUPLC CUTLERY S/C-B wrappers YOGURT |
6 | SUP
S/C-B wrappers Crisp packets P. BAGS Pringles can PLW |
YOGURT
CUTLERY Cans Tinfoil
|
Crisp packets
PLW S/C-B wrappers SUPLC Tinfoil YOGURT |
SUPLC
SUP PLW Tinfoil S/C-B wrappers CUTLERY |
SUPLC
PLW S/C-B wrappers Tinfoil |
7 | SUPLC
S/C-B wrappers Tinfoil Cartons |
SUP
Tissues Tinfoil Paper Cardboard P. BAGS |
SUPLC
Coffee cups PLW P. BAGS Tinfoil |
P. BAGS
Coffee cups Crisp packets |
Coffee cup
SUPLC SUP PLW P. BAGS Cans S/C-B wrappers |
8 | Crisp packets
P. BAGS Cartons S/C-B wrappers Tinfoil |
SUP
P. BAGS Tissues Paper Cardboard S/C-B wrappers |
PLW
Tinfoil P. BAGS Crisp packets SUPLC |
Tinfoil
PLW P. BAGS S/C-B wrappers CUTLERY |
Crisp packets
PLW S/C-B wrappers P. BAGS Tinfoil SUPLC |
Abbreviations:
SUP; Single-use plastic (Plastic bottles [water, energy drinks etc.])
SUPLC; Single-use plastic lunch containers (soup, salad, pasta etc.)
- BAGS; Plastic bags
YOGURT; Yogurt pots
CUTLERY; Plastic cutlery
PLW; Paper lunch wrappers
S/C-B wrappers; Snack/Chocolate bar wrappers
Conclusion:
Plastic waste is clearly an endemic problem within our school, which is probably a fair reflection on society as a whole. It was present in every single bin surveyed in our audit. What we found interesting was the different forms that single-use plastic waste came in. The number of plastic bottles was dwarfed by the number of single-use plastic lunch containers, which was further belittled by the mass of plastic knives and forks and plastic bags. We had not realized the extent to which plastic waste was consuming our bins and rubbish containers until now, and we are only beginning to realize the mountain we are going to have to climb in order to eliminate this wasteful culture from our school community. Lots or education and workshops are going to be needed in the coming weeks on the harmful effects that such a substance has on ourselves, or local environment, and our earth.