Waste education

Download our My Sustainable City(PDF, 633KB) game and spot the hidden items on the list!

The Keep Australia Beautiful Council (KABC) provides free professional learning sessions for primary and secondary schools wanting to learn how to stop littering behaviour at school. The Clean Schools program provides a step-by-step guide on how to run a school litter prevention program and regular newsletters are issued.

If you would like to become involved with the program, help to implement it and see the range of resources available to help schools plan a campaign, please register for a Clean Schools workshop.  Resources available include:

• professional learning for teachers,
• a step-by-step guide to planning the program,
• a USB full of support materials and activities, and
• curriculum materials.

This program is free and available to all schools in WA. The KABC will also provide half day relief for up to two staff members from each school. For more information about the program, please contact the Community Education Coordinator at the KABC.

The City encourages schools to support this program because littering is a prominent issue, not only in our schools but in our community. The City spends approximately $500,000 annually on littering and illegal dumping, however, we can all do something to reduce this problem.

The City of Swan offers a FREE recycling education program for primary schools. This is presented by Cleanaway Education staff on behalf of the City of Swan in an effort to have our communities understand our waste and how to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle more efficiently so we can create a more sustainable future for our community. 

Limits of sessions per school will apply, so book in early to avoid disappointment. Find out more on our schools page.

Get your students out and about to learn first hand about waste reduction, landfill, recycling, sustainability and recovering resources at Red Hill Waste Management Facility.

The Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council (EMRC) provides free tours of the Red Hill Waste Management Facility on week days.

Tour participants are taken to areas not normally seen by the general public. They will be able to observe waste diversion programs, the Landfill, Gas and Power Station site, the tip face and green waste recovery.

Bookings are essential.

The City of Swan runs a program of events each year to help the community to reduce their waste. These include workshops on composting and worm farming.

Worm farming workshops provide you with the skills and knowledge to set up your own worm farm at home. We'll also teach you how to reduce the amount of household waste going to landfill by feeding your worms with suitable scraps from the kitchen.

Composting workshops teach you how to convert your kitchen scraps and garden clippings into a useful soil amendment product (compost).

To find out when the next composting or worm farming workshop will be held, see the City's events. 

The City also conducts a program called Thinking Green that covers a variety of sustainable environment themed events. Dates and locations for these workshops will also be advertised on our Events and Attractions page.

Clean Up Australia Day inspires and empowers communities to clean up, fix up and conserve our environment. Clean Up Australia Day is the nation's largest community-based environmental event and is held on the first Sunday of March each year. Thousands of Australians participate by cleaning up their local environment, collecting and removing rubbish. Every year, the City of Swan supports community and school groups to participate by picking up the collected rubbish and recyclables from agreed collection points.

Clean Up Australia also offers alternative Clean Up days to provide communities with the opportunity to participate by holding their own events at a time that suits. To hold a Clean Up Day in your area, please register with the Clean Up Australia Day organisation.

Alternatively, if you would like to organise family and friends to clean up a nominated area at a time and date of your choice, please contact the Keep Australia Beautiful Council (KABC) to register for the Adopt a Spot program.

Youth Power Clean Up Australia Day

Youth Power held a clean up in March 2018 as part of Clean Up Australia Day. View some photos of the great work they did.

Want to get more environmentally sustainable and save money too? One easy way is to learn how to make your own beeswax wraps.

Beeswax wraps are an eco-friendly alternative to single use plastics like cling-wrap. They are safe, reusable, cheap to make and fun!

They are made by infusing cloth with beeswax. They are waterproof but breathable, allowing food to stay fresh for longer. The addition of coconut oil and pine resin helps them stick and hold their shape, making it easy to wrap food.

Making your own beeswax wraps is also great opportunity to give new life to old or damaged fabric. You may be able to find fabrics around the house that can be used, like an old sheet or doona cover that can be cut up and repurposed.

Beeswax wraps can be used to:

• wrap the ends of cut fruit and vegetables to keep them fresh
• cover dishes, bowls and jars
• cover cheese, baked goods and other food
• wrap sandwiches
• store and transport snacks.

Learn how to make your own with our instructions:

• Digital instructions
• Print friendly instructions