Visiting a rubbish dump

Year 5 and 6 students went to visit the Vertedero de Valdemingómez this last week to see what exactly happens with the rubbish generated in Madrid. We all learned some very interesting facts, such as that this centre alone receives more than 4,000 tons (4 MILLION Kg) of residues every day. It’s a number that is very hard to imagine, and it surprised us all very much.

Through our Captain Planet project, students have become very aware of the importance of reducing consumption and what to do with the residue created from our consumption. The monitors were surprised to see how well Ia students knew how to separate the different rubbish into the multiple recycling bins available around Madrid. Students also got the chance to compete amongst each other in a shopping game where they had to try and buy the most ecological products as possible.

When a little older we hope to take students back so they can visit the plants where workers and machines separate the different rubbish so as to recycle it and put it back into circulation.