Clutha Valley Primary School has initiated a survey for local residents to fill in about their waste management habits.
Schoolteacher Rachel O'Connell said the pupils all learned about waste management and recycling through a teaching exercise with Clutha District Council staff.
Waste collection was not a service provided by the council in the Clutha Valley or Clydevale area.
Mrs O'Connell said pupils were surprised to find out how much of the waste from the school destined for landfill could be recycled.
Only 10% of the school's waste was ''actual waste'' and the rest could be recycled or reused.
''Which is quite frightening, really.''
Her year 7 and 8 pupils set up a survey about the waste management habits of residents to see if recycling was possible in the area.
''They were thinking, what can we do about it? They want to see if they can actually do something themselves.''
While it might be difficult for some in the area to commit to recycling collection, there were many in the township who should be able to take part, Mrs O'Connell said.
The survey asked whether residents recycled regularly, if they threw out a lot of things which could be recycled and if they were prepared to take a wheelie bin to the end of the road or a collection area to be picked up.
If there was support for recycling, the pupils would present the information to the council for consideration.
Council service delivery group manager Jules Witt said the reason for the rubbish and recycling collection services not being offered in Clutha Valley was mainly due to population size and geographic location.
Other outlying communities in the district also went without waste collection.
Mr Witt said that the Clutha Valley area has been highlighted as a possible extension area which staff were considering.
Discussions with the school were part of the feasibility investigations.
