Coca-Cola Enterprises and ECO Plastics today hosted the first school visit to their joint venture recycling plant in Leicestershire.
Continuum Recycling, the largest PET processing facility in the world, was opened by CCE and ECO Plastics in May this year to boost recycling capability ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games and for the long term.
Today’s visit by children from Cordeaux School in Louth inaugurated the specially built Education Centre at the Leicestershire site near Hemswell.
The Education Centre is similar in nature to those already operating at CCE sites in Sidcup, Wakefield, Edmonton and East Kilbride. It will host over 200 visits per year – opening the eyes of more than 4,000 students from secondary schools and universities to the importance of recycling, the processes and technology involved and the career opportunities around the industry.
Every CCE Education Cnetre is managed by a General Teaching Council registered teacher and each visit includes tours of the shop floor and production areas as well as presentations from plant staff linking to school curricula and subjects such as Business Studies, ICT, Engineering and Design & Technology.
Philomena Lympaney, teacher at Cordeaux School said that her student had thoroughly enjoyed their visit “[It] made them all think seriously about the journey waste products go through, which they found both informative and inspiring,” she commented. “We particularly enjoyed the challenge set by CCE, where the students were charged to create a scheme designed to educate and encourage others to recycle more. We are very much looking forward to booking future visits to the Centre.”
