12 March 2010
Waste proves to be fishy business for school children
Sheffield school children will launch an artistic display of fish sculptures in the city centre this week (Thursday 11 March 2010), which marks the culmination of a project looking at what happens to Sheffield´s household waste materials.
The Power of Sheffield's Waste project, which is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Sciences and run by the University of Sheffield and Veolia Environmental Services, worked with local children from High Storrs School to examine what happens to household waste materials. Their findings show that the waste has the capacity to make new things, provide energy and even inspire artwork.
Veolia began the project by taking the youngsters on a mystery tour of Sheffield where they were told about the Energy Recovery Facility and the buildings it heats. The tour finished at the University where the children watched two presentations from Veolia and Dr Alan Metcalfe, from the University´s Department of Geography, about waste incineration and recycling.
Back in the classroom, the pupils constructed fish sculptures from either recyclable materials, or non-recyclable materials. The exhibition will showcase the recyclable fish `swimming´ along the waste stream to be recycled and the non-recyclable fish `swimming´ towards the Energy Recovery Facility to generate heat and energy for the city.
Dr Alan Metcalfe, from the University´s Department of Geography, said: "The kids have really enjoyed the project; waste has really powered their imaginations. They have seen that we´re really good in Sheffield at not landfilling, as we´ve put our waste to use powering the city. The city´s new recycling scheme will help us to recycle even more than we already do. This will mean that only residual waste is burnt and not the stuff that can be recycled to make new things and save raw materials."
Dheen ul Hassan, a pupil at High Storrs School, said: "I´ve really enjoyed being involved in the project, especially visiting different places in Sheffield and finding out what happens to rubbish. I´ve found out how easy it is now for print and pictures to be taken off newspapers, and how much rubbish can be recycled. I really liked making my fish from old newspapers and card." Notes for Editors: The ESRC Festival of Social Science, which runs from 12 to 21 March 2010, celebrates some of the country´s leading social science research and showcases the work of the UK´s social scientists and the impact it has on our lives. This year the Festival features over 130 events happening in seven regions and over 40 different cities in the UK. Events, which are open to all, take a variety of formats - from traditional lectures and exhibitions to theatrical performances, film screenings and topical debates.
The exhibition will be on display at Sunwin House in the city centre until mid-April.
For further information please contact: Lauren Anderson, Media Relations Officer, on 0114 2221046 or email l.h.anderson@sheffield.ac.uk
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