Gdańsk Primary School No. 61 Turns Bio-Waste into Garden Gold with FoodLoops Pilot

As part of the FoodLoops project—championing source separation, composting, and bio-waste valorisation in schools—Primary School No. 61 in Gdańsk launched a hands-on pilot to transform its green and food waste into fertile compost for a new school garden.

Pilot Setup & Materials

• Start: January 2025, following an audit of the school’s biowaste streams

• Compost Method: “Hot” (Berkeley-style) system, two separate piles by mid-March

• Fractions Layered:

  • Brown: dry leaves, wood chips, straw, cardboard

  • Green: food scraps, peelings, plant trimmings

  • High-Nitrogen: manure (later fresh grass & clover as season allowed)

• Supporting Materials & Tools:

  • Wooden pallet (100×100 cm) & welded mesh cages (10×10 mm and 25×25 mm)

  • Shade cover, compost fork, wide shovel/spade

  • 30 buckets (33 L each) to build ca. 990 L pile

  • Water source for moistening and a compost thermometer for monitoring

Learning & Engagement

• First Practical Session: School staff plus ~50 students (grades 3–5)

  • Learned about soil definitions, the compost food-web, and the “why” and “how” of composting

  • Followed a turning and aeration schedule under a local farmer’s guidance

• Ongoing Care: 40 members of the “Nature Around Us” group (grades 3 & 5)

  • Monitored temperature & moisture until June 2025 to ensure safe, high-quality compost

  • 10 students met weekly to plant potatoes in school beds and use the finished compost as fertilizer

Next Steps in the FoodLoops Curriculum

• 2025/2026 Module: “From Field to Table – The Life Cycle of Potatoes & Ecological Fertilisation”

  • Includes fall potato harvests and lessons on selecting and applying eco-friendly fertilizers

Impact & Recognition

This success story underscores FoodLoops’ mission to close the loop on school bio-waste, engage young learners in circular-economy practices, and inspire replicable models across Europe.

Programme Manual Online

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