Students' recycling designs hit the road across Bridgend County Borough
Thursday 12 November 2026
Creative designs by secondary school students are helping spread the recycling message across Bridgend County Borough, after winning artwork was selected to feature on the council's new fleet of recycling and refuse vehicles.
The initiative, organised by Bridgend County Borough Council's Cleaner Streets and Waste Management team, invited Year 7 pupils from secondary schools across the county borough to design eye-catching artwork promoting recycling and responsible waste disposal.
Students from seven schools took part in the competition, with the winning entries chosen from a wide range of imaginative and colourful designs.
The overall winning design was created by Archie James and Arianwen Owen from Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd. Their artwork was combined into a single design which will feature on ten of the council's new recycling vehicles.
Second place was awarded to Beth Maund from Porthcawl Comprehensive School, while Elsie Jones from Maesteg Comprehensive School secured third place. Their designs will also be showcased on the council's vehicle fleet.
In total, 15 vehicles, including recycling and refuse collection vehicles, will carry student-designed artwork as they travel through communities across the county borough, helping raise awareness of local recycling services and encouraging residents to recycle more.
We were incredibly impressed by the creativity, enthusiasm and environmental awareness demonstrated by all of the students who took part. By involving young people directly in promoting recycling, we hope to encourage conversations about waste and sustainability both at school and at home. These fantastic designs will be seen by thousands of residents every week, helping inspire communities across Bridgend County Borough to make the most of our recycling services.
The vehicle artwork project was funded through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, which provides funding to local authorities to support household recycling and waste collection services. The funding enabled the council to invest in vehicle wraps that showcase the students' designs while promoting key recycling messages.
The competition forms part of the council's wider commitment to engaging with schools and communities to improve recycling awareness and encourage more sustainable behaviours across Bridgend County Borough.
