Cheshire East pupils benefit from safety education at Crucial Crew event

Cheshire East Council’s waste and recycling engagement team played a key role in the recent Crucial Crew event, supported by five dedicated Cheshire East Waste Reduction Volunteers.

Together they delivered engaging and informative sessions highlighting the dangers of placing electronic devices, batteries, and other hazardous items in bins.

Crucial Crew events are multi-agency initiative aimed at delivering essential safety messages to Year 6 pupils. The latest event saw over 1200 children and staff from 29 primary schools in Crewe, Nantwich, Sandbach, Middlewich and surrounding villages.

Year 6 pupils have been learning about the dangers of hazardous waste and how batteries disposed of incorrectly can cause serious fires in waste collection vehicles, posing risks to crews and residents. These sessions also reinforced best practice in recycling, including the importance of ensuring that recycling is clean, dry and loose before placing them in the recycling bin.

Organisations at this event also included Cheshire Police, School Nursing Cheshire East, Cheshire East Family Hubs, CGL - Cheshire East (Young People’s Substance Misuse Service) and SP Energy Networks, who worked together to deliver workshops covering a range of safety topics – from keeping yourself safe, being aware of your feelings, mindful behaviours, electricity dangers and alcohol and vapes awareness.

A VIP Day was held during the event, welcoming the High Sherriff of Cheshire, Joelle Warren who joined pupils from Scholar Green Primary School and Woodcocks' Well CE Primary School, Alsager Highfields Community Primary School, Excalibur Primary School and Pikemere School to observe the sessions.

Councillor David Jefferay, chair of Cheshire East Council’s environment and communities committee, said:

“It was fantastic to hear from the engagement team how knowledgeable the pupils were, their understanding of the issues around the dangers of hazardous waste in recycling is really encouraging.”

It was a brilliant opportunity for the engagement team to reinforce vital safety messages, particularly as there has been over 30 fires this year so far in the waste transfer station, Middlewich and in waste collection vehicles.”

Our recently launched Hazardous waste campaign enforces the message ‘When in doubt, leave it out’ and urges residents to dispose of hazardous waste including batteries, electrical items and gas canisters correctly to reduce the serious risk of fires.”

 “These incidents not only endanger our crews and nearby residents but can also cause significant damage to vehicles and cause disruption to waste collections.”

“Educating children early about safe, sustainable waste practices is key to helping prevent such hazards. This is especially key as we have had a number of fires in waste vehicles in recent weeks.”

“This event was a great example of partnership working in action, with organisations coming together to equip young people with the life skills they need to stay safe and support their communities. We’re proud to have contributed and look forward to supporting future events.”

This is the second Crucial Crew event this year, and we look forward to taking part in these events next year in both the north and south of the borough.

For more information about talks or assemblies for primary and secondary schools, please email: 

teamrecycling@cheshireeast.gov.uk

For more information, please visit: 

What waste goes where