YOUNGSTERS at city primary schools are leading the way towards reducing the amount of food waste being sent to landfill.

The Composting In Schools Project is being run at 10 primary schools across the Beacon Learning Community in Exeter, including Ladysmith Infant School.

Each school has been provided with a composter – insulated, sealed units inside which they can then put their waste fruit, vegetable peelings and cooked foods.

Little Rotters groups have been set up by the schools, involving pupils who collect food from around the school, and a trained adult putting it into the special composting equipment. The compost will be used on school gardens to grow more plants and vegetables.

Landfill food wastage has reduced at all the schools, which composted approximately six tonnes of food waste and produced 1.5 tonnes of compost.

Large scale in-vessel composters, called Big Hannas, are being given to those schools which cater for a large number of children.

Ladysmith Infant School's Big Hanna was unveiled this week at a Food For Life open morning.

Tom Brown, Ladysmith's Food for the Life co-ordinator said the project was about raising awareness among the pupils of the need to reduce landfill.

The Year 2 teacher said: "We produce a lot of waste, because we have a big kitchen dealing with over 700 students from the infant and junior school.

"The infant school students are given food at break-time, which means a lot of banana skins, and orange peel.

"Now rather than having to throw away the waste, the Big Hanna can take it, recycle and compost it.

"The school is very geared towards composting. We have been making children aware of the importance of not wasting food, and reusing where possible. In classrooms, there are three separate bins already in place – one for card and paper, one for composting and one for general landfill waste."

Mr Brown added: "Now we've committed to composting, it has become part of the school curriculum. We hope that it's a message that gets taken back home, so it becomes a way of life."

The project is being funded by Devon County Council, and run by Dawn Neil from Resource Futures – a non-profit-distributing company specialising in helping others use resources efficiently and effectively.

Annette Dentith, principal waste manager at Devon County Council, said: "This is a fantastic scheme. Not only does it encourage the children to reduce the amount of food waste they create, it saves organic waste from going to landfill. The composters are also a great teaching resource as they help the children understand about the cycle of growing food, composting waste food, and compost going on the land to help grow more food."