Hillingdon Council has launched a new recycling campaign for primary school children, inspired by the beloved ‘That’s not my’ book series.
Hillingdon Council has unveiled an innovative recycling campaign for primary school children, called ‘That’s not my recycling bag,’ inspired by the popular ‘That’s not my’ children’s book series. The aim of the campaign is to reduce recycling contamination by educating young minds and encouraging them to ask adults to ensure that only recyclable items are placed in clear bags.
The campaign will be rolled out across primary schools in the borough, with each school receiving a toolkit containing a link to a short, engaging video and a series of digital resources. These resources are designed for children up to the age of 10 and include interactive quizzes and games to help them understand recycling practices.
Usborne Publishing, which is behind the ‘That’s not my’ book series, has lent its support to the campaign, helping to shape the video, which focuses on the five most common contaminants found in dry, mixed recycling collections. The video is presented in the same familiar, child-friendly style as the books, making it easy for young viewers to grasp the recycling message.
This new initiative builds on the council’s ongoing ‘Top of the Contaminants’ campaign, which aims to reduce contamination in recycling bins and improve overall recycling habits. The goal is to inspire small but impactful changes in how residents approach recycling, ensuring that non-recyclable items, like clothing, don’t end up in recycling bags. When contamination occurs, it can result in recyclable items being rejected at the sorting facility and ultimately sent to general waste, which harms the environment.
Through interactive games and quizzes, the campaign encourages children to speak up at home, ensuring their families recycle correctly and help protect the environment.
The campaign was officially launched at Ruislip Gardens Primary School, one of the schools participating in the programme. Headteacher Nicky Bulpett shared her support for the initiative, saying, “We believe in empowering our pupils to become environmental champions. We fully support the council’s ambition to educate children about the importance of proper recycling practices. By understanding how to reduce contamination, our pupils can take these lessons home, helping their families improve recycling efforts. Together, we can make a significant impact on our community and contribute to a cleaner, greener future.”
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Environment, expressed his enthusiasm for the campaign, saying, “We’re driven in our ambition to deliver a greener future for the next generation. We hope this campaign can inspire and empower children to speak out when people aren’t recycling right. By engaging them in a fun, familiar way, we hope they’ll be excited to talk about recycling and the environment at school and at home and encourage small changes in behaviour.”
Through this campaign, Hillingdon Council is aiming to engage the next generation of environmental advocates, ensuring that recycling practices are passed down and integrated into daily life from a young age.
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