Since years our region has launched a series of actions and programs to manage the problem of rubbish. The main concern is not only waste collection, treatment and disposal, but how to recycle and produce materials and energy from it. RE-USING, RECOVERY AND RECYCLING IN OUR TERRITORY

Launched years ago, differential waste collection involves both urban waste produced by citizens and special waste deriving from rural, industrial, commercial and tertiary activities. The goal of differential waste collection is to enhance and make it efficient by re-using, recovering and recycling both materials and energy.

Re-using: when we use and re-use objects for their original purpose Examples of good practices already implemented in our area plastic shopping bags used more than once when you go to the supermarket and finally to carry rubbish; as an alternative, canvas bags or baskets; to ask for or give clothes, especially children' clothes, to relatives and friends or bring them to local associations (Caritas, Mani Tese) that will deal with collection and further distribution to poor people.

bottles and other receptacles to use for “draught shopping” in some supermarkets

Decorations in our school An example is this creation for a water project

Recovery: when we use an object for a different purpose than the original one Examples of recovery actions in our school Refuse products used to make new objects such as musical instruments

old clothes sewed and used for our school drama club and shows paper recovered to be used again at school

In our territory, especially in the municipality of Gambettola, there’s an old tradition of recovering iron. This tradition is so important that in Gambettola even the roundabouts have been adorned with sculptures made with the iron that had been previously recovered

Recycling: when we treat waste, through industrial methods, so that it is transformed into raw materials again paper, plastic bottles, cans, metals such as aluminium, steel and copper, glass

Thanks to separate collection and disposal of these materials, waste becomes a resource. Materials are sold to manifacturing companies that deal with their treatment. Some of these companies are in our neighbourhood: IL SOLCO is specialized in the treatment of paper, plastic and alu cans ECOLEGNO is specialized in the treatment of wood AKRON is specialized in the recycling of plastic and aluminium ROMAGNA COMPOST deals with the treatment of wet waste that is transformed in compost LA CART is specialized in the recycling of paper and voluminous waste such as fridges, computers, TV sets

URBAN WASTE COLLECTION is possible thanks to a series of bins, bells and receptacles of different colours: Green bell-shaped receptacle: glass (bottles and jars) brown bin: wet waste (vegetables, fruit, branches....) light blue and grey bin: paper (cardboard, paper, boxes, newspapers, magazines, brochures, photocopies) yellow bin: plastic (bottles, bags, pots, jars, basins, tubs) and aluminium (tins, bombs, foil)

In some municipalities special key waste bins are available. Each family has a key that is used to open the bin. This system allows to measure the quantity of waste that is produced yearly by each family. The less waste families produce, the less will be the amount of the rubbish bill

In our area there are also differential waste collection of specific materials: Receptacles are available for pieces of clothing that are then collected and redistributed by voluntary associations Small receptacles for exhausted cells are available near sellers.

Special receptacles for expired drugs and medicines can be found in chemist' shops. Voluminous cardboards collection service is available in the town centre Voluminous waste like furniture or house-hold appliances are collected in the Ecological Stations.

We,as a school, make our part. We collect: mobile phones and mobile phones recharge cells, earphones - an eco-box is available in the school hall. This Service is offered by HERA Caps - they are collected in special boxes given to a factory that recycles plastic material. In turn, we get a sum of money that is devolved to an organisation to buy a wheelchair.

Finally, a responsible personal behaviour is necessary Buy something if : -it’s really necessary to avoid waste -it’s durable, resistant and of good quality so that you can use it more times -it’s from organic farming: for instance food produced without chemical fertilizers and other additives that are dangerous for our health -it’s produced without exploiting people, workers, territories, resources

DO THE RIGHT THING!