Lesson 1Glass types and damage handling (tempered, annealed, coloured, shattered glass)Looks at various glass types like bottles, toughened, and layered glass, and how they act when broken. Learners practise spotting colours, coatings, and breaks, and use safe ways to handle and contain sharp bits.
Container glass vs flat and specialty glassTempered and laminated glass break patternsColor sorting: clear, green, amber, and othersCoated, mirrored, and ceramic-contaminated glassSafe cleanup and containment of shattered glassLesson 2Hazardous items: batteries, aerosols, chemicals, sharps — risks and labelling recognitionTeaches spotting dangerous items in rubbish flows, understanding their dangers, and reading labels and signs. Covers safe handling, short-term storage, and reporting steps to stop injuries, fires, and spills into the environment.
Common household hazardous items listBattery types, damage signs, and leak risksAerosol cans: pressure, puncture, and fire hazardsChemical product labels and hazard pictogramsSharps handling, containers, and incident responseLesson 3Paper and cardboard grades, contamination effects (waxed, greasy, coated, laminated)Covers key paper and cardboard sorts, from office paper to strong boxes, and how coatings, cooking fat, and wetness spoil recycling. Learners practise finding dirt and choosing when to send loads away from recycling.
Office paper, newsprint, and mixed paper gradesCorrugated cardboard structure and strengthWaxed and coated papers: recyclability limitsGreasy, wet, and food-soiled paper handlingSorting decisions for borderline paper itemsLesson 4Textiles and fibres: natural vs synthetic, recycling pathwaysIntroduces cloth and fibre groups, telling natural, man-made, and mixed fabrics apart. Learners spot common clothes and home cloths, know reuse and recycling ways, and find dirt that stops recovery.
Natural fibers: cotton, wool, and celluloseSynthetic fibers: polyester, nylon, acrylicBlended fabrics and labeling challengesWearable reuse vs downcycling pathwaysMoisture, mold, and soiling as contaminantsLesson 5Composite and mixed materials: multi-layer packaging, black plastics, lined cupsLooks at mixed-material goods like many-layer bags, lined mugs, and black plastics. Learners spot seen layers, coatings, and dyes, and decide when things must go as leftover rubbish not for recycling.
Multilayer pouches and foil-lined packagingPaper cups with plastic or wax liningsCartons and aseptic packaging recognitionBlack plastics and optical sorter limitationsDisassembly vs residual disposal decisionsLesson 6Metals identification: aluminium vs steel, magnetic testing, contamination issuesTeaches telling aluminium from steel and other metals by look, weight, and magnets. Learners spot common packs and scrap, know dirt sources, and see why good separation counts.
Common aluminum and steel packaging formsMagnet testing and simple field checksPainted, coated, and laminated metal itemsFood residues, labels, and mixed-material lidsImpact of metal contamination on furnacesLesson 7Organics and compostables: food waste behaviour, contamination, and separationExplains how plant materials act in collection, with smells, bugs, and wet problems. Learners tell compostable from non-compostable and use separation rules to cut dirt in plant rubbish flows.
Food waste categories and moisture behaviorCertified compostable vs biodegradable claimsCompostable liners, utensils, and servicewareNon-compostable look-alikes to keep outOdor, pests, and leachate management basicsLesson 8Small mixed items and contaminants: fasteners, elastics, food residue impact on streamsFocuses on tiny mixed bits that spoil recycling flows easily, like clips, rubber bands, and food bits. Learners practise spotting them, knowing their harm, and removing and containing them.
Metal fasteners, clips, and small hardwareRubber bands, elastics, and string tanglersFood residues on packaging and containersLoose labels, stickers, and tape fragmentsScreen, conveyor, and bale contamination risksLesson 9Polymer chemistry and common plastic types (PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS) — visual cues and resin codesIntroduces basic plastic chemistry and main plastic families for packing. Learners match resin codes, sight clues, and common goods to right flows, noting dangers like PVC and tricky black plastics.
Amorphous vs crystalline polymer behaviorPET and HDPE packaging uses and traitsPVC, LDPE, PP, and PS common applicationsReading and interpreting resin identification codesVisual and tactile cues for plastic sortingLesson 10E-waste components and hazards: batteries, capacitors, heavy metalsDetails usual e-waste parts like boards, batteries, and capacitors, and heavy metals inside. Learners spot sight danger signs and follow safe removal, storage, and labelling for e-waste.
Common e-waste categories and device examplesPrinted circuit boards and soldered componentsEmbedded batteries and swollen cell indicatorsCapacitors, stored energy, and fire risksHeavy metals, leaching, and exposure controls
