Rickleton Primary School crushes UK plastic bottle recycling record

The school set out to beat a previous world record of 3,325 plastic bottles used to spell out a recycling message in 2022. With the help of their pupils, parents, and the wider community, they exceeded expectations, collecting over 5,000 bottles in just three weeks.

Using 3,578 bottles, Rickleton Primary's Eco-Council designed and assembled the slogan: “Rickleton. Be fantastic, use less plastic!” Year 6 pupils spent a morning carefully organising and arranging the bottles, demonstrating not only their teamwork and dedication, but also the amount of plastic that we currently use in our everyday lives.

Mr. Alan Baker, Deputy Headteacher at Rickleton Primary School, commented on the achievement: "We are incredibly proud of our pupils and the entire Rickleton community for coming together to break this record. This project has not only taught our pupils the power of teamwork but also highlighted the importance of caring for our planet. It’s wonderful to see our young people helping spread an important message about sustainability."

Once the sentence was completed, the bottles were flattened and prepared for recycling. Thanks to SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, the bottles were collected and sent for repurposing. Some even found new life at a local allotment, where they’ll be used to construct a plastic bottle greenhouse.

Hannah Fleming, Social Value and Partnerships Manager at SUEZ, said: "This record-breaking effort is a fantastic example of how a school can bring an entire community together. Rickleton Primary hasn’t just recycled plastic bottles—they’ve delivered a powerful message about sustainability and inspired others to rethink waste in fun and creative ways."

The initiative not only broke a record but also left a lasting message about the importance of reducing plastic waste.