Learning Numeracy Through a Waste Bank as a Tool for Environmental Education

Faculty members and students from the Community Service Team of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Sriwijaya University conducted an activity at Pemulutan State Elementary School No. 15 in Pelabuhan Dalam Village on September 8, 2026. This community-based outreach initiative focused on utilizing a waste bank as an environmental education tool to improve numeracy skills among elementary school students. The community service activity was led by Dr. Evi Yuliza, M.Si, along with team members Alfensi Faruk, M.Si, Ph.D; Drs. Endro Setyo Cahyono, M.Si; Dr. Elisa Nurnawati, M.Si; Hadi, M.T; Prof. Dr. Hary Widjajanti, M.Si; Prof. Fitri Maya Puspita, M.Sc, Ph.D; Dr. Sisca Octarina, M.Sc; and Dr. Indrawati, M.Si. The implementation of the activity was also supported by students, namely Anita Margareta Manurung, Pela, Sania Rahma Dwita Manoppo, Martasya Aprilia, and Nur Samilah Putri.
Pemulutan State Elementary School No. 15 has the potential to develop environmental education through waste management. Recognizing this potential, the community service team organized a waste bank outreach program to introduce the concept of a waste bank and demonstrate its use as a learning tool for elementary school students. Through this activity, teachers and students were introduced to the concept of a waste bank using an approach closely tied to their daily lives. The operating principles of a waste bank include collecting, sorting, weighing, recording, calculating, and selling or recycling waste.

This community service activity aims not only to create a clean and comfortable school environment but also to improve students’ numeracy skills and foster environmental awareness. The use of a waste bank is expected to help students understand mathematical concepts concretely while also training their logical and critical thinking skills. “If trash bins are managed as a waste bank, they have great potential as a learning tool that can integrate environmental education with the strengthening of numeracy literacy
.”“Through this activity, the use of the waste bank is not only focused on waste management but is also utilized as a tool for environmental education in numeracy, particularly for mathematics instruction,” explained Evi, the head of the community service team. The principal of Pemulutan Public Elementary School No. 15, Sutini, S.Pd. SD, welcomed the activity positively. “We are very grateful for this activity. It is beneficial for students in the learning process and highlights the role of the waste bank as an enjoyable medium for environmental education that simultaneously enhances numeracy skills,” she said.
The outreach activity received a positive response from both teachers and students. For teachers, this activity broadened their understanding of how to utilize the waste bank as a contextual learning tool closely tied to students’ daily lives. Meanwhile, students gained new knowledge about the importance of protecting the environment and were able to apply mathematical concepts in real-world situations. Thus, the waste bank not only serves as a solution for environmental management but also as an interactive and enjoyable learning medium for improving numeracy skills.
Through this outreach, it is hoped that the waste bank will be viewed not only as a means to reduce waste problems but also as an environmental education tool with educational value. Collaboration among teachers, students, and the school community is a crucial step in creating contextual learning while fostering a habit of caring for the environment. The waste bank outreach activity in Pelabuhan Dalam Village is expected to provide sustainable benefits for the school—particularly by supporting the improvement of elementary students’ numeracy skills while creating a cleaner and more sustainable school environment.