STUDENTS from Okehampton College will be discussing waste and recycling in Devon at a waste summit at County Hall today (Thursday.)

The Year 10 students will join others from seven different schools from across the county, represented at the event.

It will explore a variety of waste issues through a series of thought-provoking activities, talks and workshops.

Last year, more than 200,000 tonnes of material was recycled rather than being sent to landfill.

The waste summit encourages students to think about how Devon can improve on its recycling rate of just over 52%.

Cllr Roger Croad, Devon County Council cabinet member for environment and regulatory services, will open the summit.

He said: 'Many people living in Devon put a lot of effort into recycling and reducing the amount of their waste that goes to landfill, which is why we have the second highest recycling rate of any county in England.

'There's still more that could be done and the summit aims to get pupils to think about waste and the challenges posed by the amount of packaging on modern consumer goods.

'This event enables the younger generation to consider how they can play their part and it could well encourage some of the pupils to make small changes to their lifestyles and shopping habits to make a lasting difference.'