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Suffolk energy-from-waste facility tour

Find out what happens to Suffolk's non-recyclable rubbish at the SUEZ energy-from-waste facility.

Suffolk energy-from-waste facility tour

The Suffolk energy-from-waste facility processes 295,000 tonnes of waste a year. All the household black bins from across Suffolk are processed at the facility as well as some rubbish from businesses such as schools – generating enough electricity to power 50,000 homes.

The facility's objective is to provide an alternative to waste being sent to landfill and reduce the associated cost to Suffolk tax-payers, turning non-recyclable waste into energy.

School visits are free and available for classes of up to 30 students. The visits include interactive sessions to engage pupils of all abilities as they learn more about the waste hierarchy, resource management and sustainability. Students will also get a behind the scenes tour that enables them to see parts of the facility in action.

Each visit is tailored as much as possible to the school group's interests and abilities. The tour is booked, organised and lead by former teachers who are able to differentiate the experience to cover different science, environmental or careers topics.

The full address is :

SUEZ recycling and recovery UK
Suffolk energy-from-waste facility
Lodge Lane
Great Blakenham
Suffolk IP6 0JE

Tours are not available during the annual maintenance period which runs from Easter to May half-term.

Participants will need to comply with safety guidelines, including a dress-code of full-length trousers and sturdy footwear.

Learning outcomes

  • Improve engagement, interest or enjoyment in STEM subjects

  • Learning what the engineering workplace is like

  • Improve awareness and aspirations for STEM-related study and careers

  • Challenge stereotypes by showing the diversity of disciplines, people and skills involved in engineering

Subjects and topics

    • Engineering
    • Energy and environment

Gatsby benchmarks

The Gatsby benchmarks are a framework for good careers guidance for schools across all of England and in some areas across the rest of the UK. This experience helps your school to reach the following benchmarks:

  • Addressing the needs of each pupil
  • Linking curriculum learning to careers
  • Encounters with employers and employees
  • Experiences of workplaces

Essential skills

The essential skills every young person needs to succeed in education and their future career. Find out more at the Skills Builder Partnership. This experience builds the following skills:

  • Listening - Receiving, retaining and processing information

  • Adapting - Overcoming challenges and setbacks to achieve goals

What the teachers say

We would love to read all about your time with this experience!

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