mmg.com.au

Rochester Primary School students picked up rubbish on school grounds and surrounding roads to help Clean-Up Australia last week.

Teacher Helen Coughlin co-ordinated the event, which the school has taken part in for the past eight years.

Mrs Coughlin said she noticed a steady decline in the amount of rubbish the children were returning with, which she put down to conscientious residents.

She said in the past, the school needed the help of Campaspe Shire staff to collect the many bags of rubbish the children would collect but said they were now disposed of in the regular school bins.

‘‘People must be caring more, especially with (disposing) recyclables,’’ she said.

Mrs Coughlin said the rubbish collection was beneficial to teaching the students about the environment.

‘‘It teaches them the value of caring for the community they live in,’’ she said.

Mrs Coughlin said the children were also given the chance to learn about types of rubbish and the dangers of picking up items such as broken glass.