Schoolchildren swim through pool of plastic bottles

Date published: 20 July 2019

Year four children at Alkrington Primary School are raising awareness of the impact of plastic on aquatic life after swimming through a pool filled with plastic bottles on Tuesday 16 July.

60 children took part, swimming through a pool of around seven bin liners’ worth of plastic bottles at Middleton Arena. After use, the bottles will be squashed down and taken to the local recycling centre.

Teacher Greta McDonald said: “The children worry about the impact our waste is having on the oceans and the ingenious plan was thought of by one of our members of staff, Sue Nixon, who also leads the eco-team. The children thought it was a great idea.

“Our school is an eco-school and determined to make a difference to the environment. In school we have asked that only reusable bottles are used by children.

“We hope that this can raise awareness to others and start small changes taking place.”

Reusable bottles have been encouraged at Alkrington Primary School since Christmas, with children from the eco-team checking classrooms and teacher offices for ‘banned’ products.

Red or yellow cards are issued to anyone found with a single-use plastic bottle, or to those found committing other crimes against the environment.

The team, which previously started a petition to ban plastic straws in milk cartons, also checks paper is being recycled and that the school is being energy efficient.

At the end of each term, the most eco-friendly class wins the eco mascot, a huge toy hedgehog.