Victorian Curriculum Links

Science Understanding

Investigate characteristics and properties of a range of materials, systems, components, tools and equipment and evaluate the impact of their use (VCDSTC037)

Science Inquiry Skills

Suggest improvements to the methods used to investigate a question or solve a problem (VCSIS087)

Communicate ideas and processes using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and to identify simple cause-and-effect relationships (VCSIS088)

Activity Description

The Waste Breakdown activity raises awareness of the time required for waste materials to break down and how this can take many years, especially in landfill where air, water and light are scarce. Students will look at different types of waste and are asked to associate the correct timeframe for it to break down in landfill. Students are then able to brainstorm some solutions and alternatives based on the 5Rs: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Key Concepts

Landfill, Food Waste, Plastics, Biodegradability, 5Rs (Refuse, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)

Key Learning Intentions

After this activity, students should be able to:

1. Understand how long items remain in landfill

2. Gain an awareness of the rate of waste material breakdown

3. Build an understanding of the differences between biodegradable and non-biodegradable items

Suggestions for Assessment

1. Participation in the Waste Breakdown activity

2. Participation in the Discussion questions below

Background Information

Many materials that end up in landfill break down at a very slow rate. This is a significant problem that is compacted by the rapid rate of consumption and disposal of items in our society. Many materials that end up as waste in landfill contain toxic substances that become environmental hazards.

For example, according to Environment Victoria, electronic waste items may contain mercury, arsenic, cadmium, PVC, solvents, acid and lead. Leachate is the liquid formed when waste breaks down in landfill and water filters through that waste. It can pollute the land, groundwater and waterways.

Another significant problem with landfill is organic waste. When organic materials such as food scraps and green garden waste are put in landfill, it is generally compacted and covered. This removes oxygen and causes it to break down in an anaerobic process, thus releasing methane, a greenhouse gas that is 22 times more potent than carbon dioxide. This has significant implications for global warming and climate change, as 40% of our landfill waste is organic

Instructions

Brainstorm
Spend a few moments brainstorming the waste items that we commonly dispose of into landfill.

Watch the BTN clip as a class and further discuss the themes of waste management

Landfill - Classroom - BTN (abc.net.au)

Put the timeline together
What happens once these items are in landfill? Look at the cards you’ve been given of various waste materials. Allocate each object to the correct time frame you think it would take for the item to break down in landfill.

Discussion
1. Refer to the list of objects below and categorise each according to whether they are biodegradable or non-biodegradable (Place a B next to the biodegradable objects and an NB next to the non-biodegradable objects).

• Plastic bottle

• Woollen socks

• Aluminium can

• Plastic coated paper

• Orange peel

• Plastic bag

• Timber

• Piece of paper

2. Which two categories are the fastest to break down? Provide one possible reason for why this is the case.

3. Choose one of the following objects and suggest ways we could Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse or Recycle this object:

• Plastic bags

• Aluminium can

• Plastic bottles

 Activity Solutions

Extension Activities

Below are some extension activity ideas

• Students undertake a litter survey of the school grounds and estimate how long it will take for each piece of litter to break down in the environment.

• Students undertake a general waste bin audit and create recommendations based on contamination and opportunities to minimise waste to landfill.

• Students run a Nude Food lunch day at school to raise awareness around packaging and waste.

• Follow up with a whole school community survey to investigate opportunities to hold these on an ongoing basis.