Pupils at Tarbolton Primary School are taking part in ‘Rag Bag’, a national textile recycling initiative, which encourages school children to recycle unwanted clothes and shoes.

Ten South Ayrshire Council schools have chosen to take part in the initiative that aims to:

• Raise awareness about textile recycling in schools.
• Increase textile recycling rates.
• Raise additional funds for participating schools.

All the textiles and shoes that are collected by the pupils are carefully sorted by the company who uplift them and any items that are serviceable are sent to third world countries where they are distributed to people for use.  Any unserviceable textile items are cut up and reused as rags in various industries as rag wipes. Serviceable old shoes are distributed to others who need footwear but they can also be broken down into component parts and used to repair other shoes.

Councillor Hywel Davies, local Member for Tarbolton, Symington and Craigie was at Tarbolton Primary School when the first load of textiles and shoes were uplifted.  Councillor Davies said:  “Pupils and staff at Tarbolton Primary School are very interested in recycling and environmental issues.  They were the first school to get recycling bins for cans, paper, cardboard and plastic bottles and amongst the first to start filling recycling sacks with textiles and old shoes. 

“All the items taken away will be recycled, so that will be less waste that has to go to a landfill site.  This will help the Council to meet targets set by the European Economic Community to drastically reduce the amount of waste that is disposed of in landfill sites.

“Very importantly, by recycling pupils at Tarbolton Primary School, and other schools who take part in the scheme, will be helping to protect our environment.”

The scheme is run by Nathan Wastesavers who liaise with local authority Recycling Officers and Waste Education Officers in Scotland.

The company collect the items for recycling, weigh them, and for each tonne collected the school receives £200 from the company.  The school can then use the additional funds to help fund extra activities for pupils.

Anyone who would like further information about recycling activities within South Ayrshire should log onto www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/wastemanagement or contact staff on telephone number 01292 616203.

Councillor Hywel Davies is pictured (centre) with Fiona Ross, Council Environment Strategy Officer (left) and Olivia McLay, Nathan Wastesavers (right) surrounded by members of the Eco Committee at Tarbolton Primary School.

November 2006