Unused Bins: What I Observed in Schools in Faisalabad

During my internship under the Environment Protection & Climate Change Department (EPCCD), I visited five schools in Faisalabad for the Punjab Green School Program. Our task was to help the schools achieve green certification. The programme had different sections such as Air for Life, Water / Every Drop Counts, Save Energy, Waste Wise, Environment Action, and Plant for Pakistan. So naturally, we interns first identified which activities were already in action and which were not. But the thing that surprised me the most was their waste bins.

The 5 Bin System

The 5-color bins are needed under the Waste Wise section for proper waste segregation. Sorting garbage according to its category is known as segregation. For schools that did not pledge, they are not part of the program. The bins are:

• Yellow for Paper
• Green for Glass
• Grey for Organic Waste
• Red for Metal
• Orange for Plastic

The program awards two points for training and three points for installing the bins. A minimum of 33 points out of 100 are required for one star. There are 1,784 registered schools in Faisalabad alone.

Bins without Use

All five schools were pledged under the green school program, yet none of them were segregating the waste properly. Three had the 5-color bins installed, but they were just for the sake of it; they were not being used, they were just there to fulfill the formality. The other two schools were still practicing old ways with only one large waste basket.

It was mind-boggling to me: if you have the bins and are aware of the segregation rules, then why aren't the students using them for their intended purpose?

Persuading the Schools

The problem was identified, but identifying is only the first step. The next challenge was way harder than I ever imagined: convincing the school management committee to adopt proper waste segregation and disposal practices and then implementing them. Some schools immediately cooperated, some rejected the idea outright, and some needed a little convincing.

We told them that it is a green initiative, explained that we were from EPCCD, and said that we would help the school achieve 1-star certification under the Punjab Green Schools Certification Program. Some schools said it would be extra work and that they did not have the time. Some said they did not have the funding, but no funding is needed for the 1-star certification. They only agreed if we carried out the activities with the students rather than the staff. In the end, we were able to implement this initiative.

The schools that had a funding problem used big discarded plastic paint bottles, painted them in 5 colors, and then labeled them.

Training and Awareness

But implementation is not the end of it; proper training and awareness are just as important as the installation. It's hard to break old habits, but after some training, the students and staff were able to understand the process, and the management also assigned a person from the cleaning crew specifically to segregate the waste before disposal and guide students if they used the wrong bin. To ensure the continuation of these activities, we helped the school create a Green Club so its members could continue carrying out and monitoring these initiatives.

What Changed

After the implementation and training, there were visible results. By the end, all five schools were segregating their waste. Waste became easier to manage as it could be disposed of separately, especially organic waste, which decomposes rapidly and can produce unpleasant odours.

Prior to segregation, the main concern of the cleaning staff was the smell, because it made their work more difficult. The overstuffing of the bins also caused trash to drop from the bins, so they had to sweep again and again. Following segregation, waste management became easier, and the working environment became much more pleasant for the cleaning crew. It also helped with hygiene. The recyclable waste was handed over to registered recyclers, while the remaining waste was collected through the municipal waste collection system.

What I Learned

The lesson I learned is that just knowing about something doesn't mean everyone will follow it; we have to spread awareness about it. Waste segregation is crucial, and I believe it should be mandated for all schools, not just those that committed. However, even though all five schools had promised to use the bins, a rule by itself is insufficient.

I think every school should adopt the Five-Bin initiative, as it makes the atmosphere pleasant and our earth clean by properly disposing of and recycling waste. We can also reduce waste by recycling and upcycling (using waste to create something new and beneficial). By following the 3Rs, i.e., Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, we can contribute more to our community and ultimately our planet.

If educational institutions also start adopting plastic-free products, especially in their canteens, it will play a significant role in sustainability.

This is our role as CM Punjab Climate Interns: we are not here just to learn; we are also here to teach others how to make sustainable choices.