recycling campaign at a ceremony at CedarBridge Academy yesterday.

The joint initiative between CedarBridge, TOPS Ltd, Mailboxes Unlimited and the KBB is the first "pilot project'' to be introduced at a school to "encourage students to be involved in the recycling process'', according to KBB president Scott Kitson.

Premier Smith said the project was an "exciting idea'' and "building awareness (environmental) has to start with young people''. She praised the initiative as a "win-win situation'' and was "grateful to the private sector for their participation''.

Sen. Scott said the project "makes our community aware of environmental issues'' and he hoped that it would expand to other schools and eventually in primary schools.

At CedarBridge every room will have a "BlueBox'' to collect their waste paper. The paper will then be picked up and taken to a designated area where it will be sorted.

The paper with one clean side would be cut and filled into an index cardholder to be used as note pads, the rest will be shredded and picked up by Mailboxes Unlimited and stored at the warehouse to be used as packing material instead of styrofoam.

TOPS Limited, which is a large supplier of paper products to schools and the community, is assisting the project by providing their accounting services to CedarBridge and donating a shredder.

Duncan Zelkin, assistant manager of the Housepacking Division at Mailboxes, said the company received 30 bags of recycled bags a week and the recycled paper was used for packing fragile items and exported worldwide.

"There are several positive effects of this project,'' KBB said, adding that CedarBridge will save money as buying note pads will be unnecessary and the use of shredded paper instead of styrofoam peanuts will reduce the danger to the environment.

Mr. Scott said he was "very pleased that CedarBridge is taking a leadership role (in the recycling project) and saving is paramount for Bermuda and beyond''.