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SCRAP Ltd is a Public Company Limited by Guarantee - that means we are not listed on the stock exchange and we are non-profit. Any money we make is put back into helping schools and other non-profit community bodies improve their environmental programs and to create jobs.

SCRAP began over 22 years ago when three teachers (including John Burn our current Deputy Chairman and Peter Carroll our Company Secretary) decided they had seen enough paper thrown out with the garbage to last a lifetime. They approached the big paper recycling companies to organise a proper system for paper recycling in schools.

Starting with just eight schools in 1991, SCRAP grew quickly, reaching 100 schools within eighteen months of starting.

By 2003 SCRAP's membership had reached around 1500 active, recycling educational bodies including schools, colleges, child care centres and universities and over 1000 other non-profit and government bodies and businesses. SCRAP covered around one half of all schools in NSW and the ACT but unfortunately the big company we were working with at the time decided they could do without us and our involvement with the education and day to day management of the government recycling contract ended. Today we still advocate for recycling and assist a number of organisations to reduce their waste through various goods and services.

SCRAP also assists schools, other organisations and individuals to understand more about helping the environment. Some of our other programs include:

• Green Waste Reduction - including Worm Farming and Worm sales, Composting
• Solid Waste Auditing
• and other Environmental Auditing
• Recycled Product Purchasing - Green Buys
• Sustainable Schools Program
• Water Tank and water saving installations (using only accredited Enviroplumbers)
• Solar panel and energy efficiency installations (using only accredited installers/electricians).

See the Programs section to find out more about these programs.

Just what does SCRAP believe in?

SCRAP is based on the idea that by starting with issues that everyone can take action on, we can do something to improve the environment and save the planet. Many environmental issues seem so huge that some people feel it is useless to try to change anything.

We don't think this way.

We would like people to realise that by doing their bit they can help to change the way things are and, most importantly, they can change themselves - become empowered, understand how things work and how things can change. In the words of the writer E.F Schumacher "Small is beautiful".

When we started with paper recycling it was not because we thought paper recycling would change the world but because in schools paper is the most wasted product. Before the 3R's (Reduce - Reuse - Recycle) came along, schools used to throw out virtually all their paper products. Paper accounts for about 30% of the whole wastestream in most schools and up to 80% in many offices! Nearly all of it can be reused and/or recycled.

SCRAP therefore started out to develop a reliable system for recycling paper and then moved on to other areas of waste reduction and to other environmental aspects including energy, water and biodiversity. We are convinced that if students understand the importance of recovering useful resources, rather than treating used items as rubbish, they will change their habits. This seems like a small adjustment to make but it is really major!

We have found that in most schools (and other organisations) this adjustment can easily take a year and in many cases several years, before students, teachers/staff and the rest of the community actually change their habits. It is about a change of attitude really - a shift from the "Throwaway Society" to the "Conserver Society". But it requires having a system in the school (or the home, workplace, club, wherever) which is reliable and integrated.

What do we mean by this? Well, first the system has to be easy for everyone to use, with the right sort of collection boxes, storage and a method of collection to suit the service which will take it all away from the school on a regular basis for recycling. That is where the 'integrated' part comes in. It is vital that the school/organisation teaches everyone how to do it and makes sure that the methods of doing it are part of the normal routine.

SCRAP is also about expanding the viewpoint. We have always tried to be holistic (well-rounded, covering the range of issues). Therefore, when we talk of recycling paper, we also recommend using recycled products, especially recycled paper. In our Green Buys Catalogue you can find a large range of environmentally-friendly products and services which schools, businesses and individuals can purchase. We keep costs as low as possible to help people obtain these items.

We don't just talk about buying, we also talk about those other two "R's" in the 3R's - Reduce and Reuse. What do they mean?

To reduce means to actually use less. In the wealthy countries of the world people use massive amounts of resources. We have an opulent lifestyle (rich living) compared to most people in the world. For example, the average Australian uses around eight times as many resources as the average person in Africa. As a result, the world is running out of resources very quickly. We need to cut down. By reducing our consumption, buying environmentally-friendly products and services, reusing everything which can be reused and recycling the remainder we can make a difference. We can leave a healthy planet for future generations to inherit - BUT TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

Environmental Savings
Over the 15 years that we were directly involved in paper recycling on a NSW statewide scale (up to 2003) SCRAP members recycled over 60,000 tonnes of paper products which saved around 240,000 cubic metres of landfill, over 780,000 trees, around 150,000 barrels of oil, 1,900,000 mega litres of water and 246,000 megawatts of energy!

During the period 2005 to 2013 we have assisted in the installation of more than 70 water tank systems which are saving on average over 50% of the water used in those schools and community organisations. This is because the tanks are connected mainly to toilets where at least half the water is used. The tank systems have been enhanced by the installation of dual flush toilets and better taps and our Water Savers education program which teaches students and teachers about their water systems, how to monitor them and how to keep those savings coming.

Contact Details:

School Communities Recycling All Paper Ltd

ABN 40 079 741 227

C/o Holsworthy High School, Huon Cr., Holsworthy 2173

Ph: 02 9825 1062

Fax: 02 9825 6972

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.