J&B Recycling Knowledge

When we think about preparing young people for the future, sustainability has to be at the heart of it. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we’re facing, and education plays a key role—not just in teaching facts, but in shaping the skills, attitudes, and behaviours that will help create a greener world.

At J&B Recycling, we’re passionate about connecting what’s taught in classrooms with real-life experiences. Recycling isn’t just something you read about—it’s something you can see, feel, and understand by being part of the process. The policy paper ‘Sustainability and climate change: a strategy for the education and children’s services systems - GOV.UK’ underscores this need.

Why Recycling is More Than Just Sorting Waste

Recycling isn’t just about putting the right items in the right bin. It’s a fascinating science that brings everyday materials to life.

In school, pupils learn about different materials and how they’re used, the forces acting on them, and how they can be transformed. But let’s face it—reading about something in a textbook isn’t quite the same as seeing it happen in real life. That’s where we come in.

What We Do at J&B Recycling

At J&B Recycling, we make recycling come alive for students. Our Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) isn’t just a place where waste gets sorted—it’s a working example of science in action. When pupils visit our facility, they don’t just hear about recycling; they see it with their own eyes. Here are some of the things they experience:

• How materials are separated by weight and balance: Materials can be sorted into size and shape through our machinery.
• Magnets and gravity in action: Metals are separated using magnets which repel and attract.
• Optical sorting: How machines use light to identify and sort materials.

It’s not just a tour; it’s a chance to see how science shapes the way we recycle and how these processes affect the world around us.

Feedback from teachers

We recently welcomed students from Catcote Academy, in which their teacher, Jackie McGarry summed It up perfectly, ‘Really informative. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone wishing to expand their knowledge about recycling and the environment.’

It’s feedback like this that reminds us how important it is to bring education and sustainability together.

Why It Matters

Recycling is about more than just bins and waste—it’s about teaching the next generation why it matters and how they can make a difference. At J&B Recycling, we’re not just here to sort rubbish; we’re here to inspire young people to think differently about the world around them.

If you’re a teacher or school looking for ways to bring your lessons to life, take a look at our Education Resources for Recycling. Together, we can help shape a greener future.

J&B Recycling are based in the North of England. Our commercial collection services operate from the Scottish Borders down to Hull and North Yorkshire. Our main areas for collecting and processing commercial waste include Teesside (Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton), Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, Sunderland, North Tyneside and Northumberland. Get in touch for more information and to request a quote.