Search for next junior recycling champions begins

The hunt for Cheshire East’s next junior recycling champions is under way.

Every year, primary schools across Cheshire East are asked to nominate a selection of pupils as junior recycling officers. A junior recycling officer - or JRO - encourages their schools and wider communities to practise the three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. 

The project to find the next generation of JROs is being managed by Ansa Environmental Services – Cheshire East Council’s wholly-owned waste and recycling company. The JROs will receive recycling-themed assemblies, help with running competitions and support on setting up recycling schemes within their schools. 

Councillor Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council’s environment and communities committee, said: “For a number of years now, our colleagues at Ansa have been doing fantastic work in our local schools inspiring future generations to take a really active role in understanding the importance of recycling. So much so, that it is often the junior recycling officers and other young people that set the example with this. 

“The competition which comes as the finale for the project is a bit of fun but the important message that it carries is one we all need to keep at the forefront of our minds, and that is to reduce, reuse and recycle.”

Ansa’s community engagement officer, Laura Demircan, added: “The JRO competition is always a popular event in the calendar, and the calibre of entries gets more inventive and exciting every year. The JROs are a real asset to their schools and communities - I’m really looking forward to seeing what this year’s officers come up with to make our planet greener!”

At the end of the school year, the JROs are invited to attend a ceremony where they give a short presentation on the work that they have done to help boost recycling in their schools. A team of judges then choose the winners. The deadline for entries for this year’s competition is 24 June.  

For more information about the junior recycling officer scheme and how your school can take part, visit: 

cheshireeast.gov.uk/recycling 

...or contact Laura Demircan directly at: 

laura.demircan@ansa.co.uk