Web Conferences

<- Homepage: Waste not Wasted: The science of waste at Kate Valley

Web conferences with schools are hosted live from the field by the LEARNZ Teacher and are coordinated by the LEARNZ Office. More about web conferences.

• Web conference activity for students: Students can work on this activity while they listen to live or recorded web conferences - PDF (167k) | Google Doc. Activity notes could be shared to help put together a class web conference summary.
• Create a web conference summary. Making a class summary of a web conference is a great way of reviewing the information your students heard. Feel free to create your own template or use the webconference summary sheet - PDF (114k) | Google doc. We'd love to share your ideas so please send your class summary to andrew.penny@core-ed.org.

Questions for web conference #1, Tuesday 5 November 9:15am – Waitākiri Primary School

Waitākiri Primary School, year 5, 6

1. How was the Kate Valley Landfill created?
2. What is the difference between the Kate Valley landfill and other New Zealand landfills?
3. How much rubbish goes to the landfill a day? How much rubbish has gone into the Kate Valley landfill since it was first developed?
4. What do you do at Kate Valley to make sure that recyclable waste is not transferred to the landfill?
5. Where does all the waste go once it’s in the landfill - what does the waste do?
6. What types of waste can’t decompose and why?
7. Why does the rubbish give off toxic chemicals?
8. Is all the waste at Kate Valley completely contained? Can any of it escape into the environment?
9. Why can’t the rubbish be burnt in a massive oven and turn it into something else?
10. How long is Kate Valley going to last? What will happen to Kate Valley Landfill once it is full?

Further questions answered

1. Why don’t we send out rubbish to countries like China to be incinerated? Rhys from Morrinsville School
2. How do you collect all the toxic gases and how do you know you’ve contained them all? Alyssa from Waitākiri School
3. If you incinerate the rubbish does this let off toxic gases as well? Ben from Waitākiri School
4. Could you please explain what is leechate? Kea from Buckland school
5. What would they do if there was a breach in the liner?
6. What happens if the toxic gas does escape? Joel from Buckland School
7. How many metres high and wide is the landfill now? Nicky
8. Can you give examples of toxic waste that you don't accept? Grace from Buckland School
9. When the landfill is full will there be another landfill made in Canterbury? Makayla from Waitakiri School
10. What is the methane gas used for? Nicky
11. Where do you  get all the soil from? Sarita from Waitākiri School
12. What kinds of machines are used at Kate Valley? Nicky
13. Is there a limit to how big a landfill can get ? Lily from Waitākiri School

Questions for web conference #2, Wednesday 6 November 9:15am – Lepperton School and Morrinsville School

Lepperton School, year 4-6

1. What is the dirt like underneath the rubbish at the landfill? (Chace)
2. How does the rubbish at the landfill affect the natural environment around the landfill? (Carter)
3. How do you bury the rubbish and how bad are the chemicals for the soil? (Myra)
4. How do you stop the rubbish contaminating the water table below the landfill? (Ollie)
5. How do you stop the rubbish blowing away from the landfill? (Carter)

Morrinsville School, year 6

1. What is the layer separating the rubbish from the ground made out of?
2. What can be done if water near a landfill gets leachate in it?
3. Why was plastic made? What will happen to all the plastic in 100 years?
4. How is there enough money to pay for the technology at Kate Valley?
5. How much research has been conducted into landfills and their impact?

Further questions answered

1. How much research has been conducted into landfills and their impact? Holly from Morrinville School
2. To what extent do you think old landfills pose a greater risk to the environment than modern engineered landfills like Kate Valley? Can anything be done to improve old landfills that have been closed down? LEARNZ Office.
3. How is leachate created? Does it come naturally or just from rubbish? - Tutavake from Tawa School
4. Did you have the ability to make Kate Valley earlier or did the technology only become available recently? Holly from Morrinville School.

Questions for web conference #3, Thursday 7 November 9:15am - Waitākiri School and Paerata School

Waitākiri Primary School, year 5, 6

1. Once the landfill is covered with soil what happens?
2. Why do you think so many restaurants and businesses still use and sell plastic products rather than reusing?
3. What companies have been using environmentally friendly products and what impact does this have on the landfill?
4. What are some other ideas that we can use to reduce the amount of waste and rubbish in New Zealand?
5. How does the amount of waste we have affect climate change?

Paerata School, year 7, 8

1. Do you think New Zealanders are making a conscious effort to manage household/industry waste etc or is it getting worse because of the amount of rubbish that we have?
2. Do you think the advertisements like Gen Less will have an impact on the future for how much waste we produce?
3. Do you think people know that organic waste produces the most gas, and if they did, would people be more vigilant about putting this waste in the correct bins?
4. Do you think Kate Valley could use the methane catchments worldwide? Or did this idea come from somewhere overseas?
5. Are there any other landfills like Kate Valley in New Zealand? Is there or will there be a likelihood that the larger cities in like Auckland or Wellington will get a landfill like this? Is this up to the council/ratepayers for each region?

Further questions answered

1. Why do they put soil on top of the rubbish in the landfill? Can they use concrete?  Tutavake from Tawa school
2. Do you ever come across anything valuable that somebody has obviously thrown away by accident? Monbit Ivy House
3. What is the most unusual thing you have ever seen in the rubbish at Kate Valley? LEARNZ Office