SCHOOL RECYCLING
Introducing the recycling process to students early establishes lifelong habits of environmental sustainability. A school recycling program creates a learning experience for all those involved.
With all the paper, beverage containers and other recyclable materials that are produced, your school has the potential to divert thousands of kilograms of material from the landfill each year.
Start slowly when setting up your recycling program. Concentrate on locations that produce significant amount of recyclables first.
In order for your recycling program to be successful, you must have the support of everyone in your school.
This includes:
- Administration
- Teachers
- Students
- Parents
- Custodial Staff
- Community
A few simple steps will help your school develop an effective recycling program:
ORGANIZE A “GREEN TEAM”
The “Green Team” should include teachers, students and parents. The team will be responsible for organizing and maintaining the recycling program as a whole.
Choose a program coordinator that will be responsible for the overall recycling program in school. The coordinator should have some knowledge of recycling and be interested in the project.
SET PROGRAM GOALS
Answer these questions before setting up your recycling program:
- Why is your school interested in recycling?
- Who will take responsibility for the program?
- How will the program operate during school holidays?
- How will your school gain community support and volunteers?
DECIDE WHICH MATERIALS TO COLLECT
Start by collecting a few materials at first, and slowly grow your program as participation increases.
When deciding on which materials to collect, take in to consideration for facility, storage space, safety issues and transportation.
IDENTIFY RECYCLING LOCATIONS
Setup bins throughout the school to collect recyclable materials. The number and type of bins will vary depending on their placement.
- Administration Office – office paper, envelopes, paper and cardboard
- Classrooms – mixed paper and beverage containers
- Cafeteria – cardboard, steel cans, aluminum cans, plastic and beverage containers
- Library – paper, magazines, books and newspapers
- Vending Machines – plastic and beverage containers
PROMOTE YOUR RECYCLING PROGRAM
The success of your recycling program depends on good publicity and community involvement. Plan a kick off assembly to inform students of the recycling program. Distribute flyers to parents to get their support.
ANSWER THE QUESTION: WHY RECYCLE?
Recycling helps reduce consumption of natural resources, such as trees used to make paper, fossil fuels used to make plastics and metal extracted through strip mining.
Precious landfill space is conserved when you recycle, because waste is diverted from the landfill.
FIND YOUR LOCAL RECYCLING DEPOT
Contact your local recycling depot to find out which materials are recyclable. If your business is located in Fort St. John, you can also inquire about our commercial on-site shredding service provider Acceleration Shredding (www.accelerationshredding.com) and recycling collection service provider Big Dog Recycling (www.bigdogrecycling.com).
KEYS TO SUCCESS
The key to success in any recycling program is the involvement and education of all the staff and students.
- Setup bins in convenient locations around the school
- Keep it simple with easy to follow instructions
- Make sure the bins are well marked to ensure they will receive the intended recyclable material
- Consider restricting the openings on lids to cut down on contamination by trash or other material
- Locate the bins close to the trash containers in order to make the choice to recycle easy
- Ongoing recycling education is vital, otherwise people lose interest and go back to their old habits
REDUCE YOUR USE OF DISPOSABLES
- Use both sides of paper when printing material
- Use reusable cutlery and glassware in the school cafeteria
- Request that students decrease the amount of waste brought in lunch bags
- Promote lunch boxes and reusable cloth bags
PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL OFFICE MATERIAL
Much of the office paper generated by your organization may contain private and confidential information. Therefore, it should be shredded before being recycled.
Consider purchasing a shredder for your office or contacting our sister company Acceleration Shredding to setup an on-site paper shredding service at (250) 785-4054 or www.accelerationshredding.com.
SORTING GUIDE
Please sort your recycling into the following categories:
PAPER | CARDBOARD | CONTAINERS | FLEXIBLE PLASTICS | GLASS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Office Paper | Shipping Boxes | Hard Plastic Containers 1-7 | Shopping Bags | Jars |
Newsprint & Flyers | Shipping Tubes | Beverage Containers | Case Wrap | Bottles |
Magazines | Pizza Boxes | Milk Jugs & Cartons | Air Pillows | Ceramics |
Catalogues | Moving Boxes | Plastic Packaging | Pallet Stretch Wrap | Glassware |
File Boxes | Plastic Takeout Containers | Bubble Wrap | Dishes | |
Envelopes | Carrier Trays | Plastic Pails | Stand-Up Pouches | |
Labels | Drink Cups & Lids | Candy Wrappers | ||
Phone Books | Coffee Cups & Lids | Dog Food Bags | ||
Soft Cover Books | Caps & Lids | Squishy Foam | ||
Colored Paper | Tin Cans | Shipping Envelopes | ||
Paper Rolls | Aluminum Foil & Trays | Packaging Overwrap | ||
Takeout Containers | Aerosol Cans (Non-Haz) | Deli & Cheese Packaging | ||
Drink Trays | Chip Bags | |||
Paper Bags | Net Bags | |||
Shredded Paper (in clear bags) |
Frozen Veggie Bags |
STAFF TRAINING
We have a variety of printable guides and signs available to help educate your teachers and students about proper recycling. Free waste audits available to help you setup a customized recycling program for your school.
DOWNLOAD A COMMERCIAL RECYCLING GUIDE HERE
HAPPY CUSTOMERS
Customer Reviews
“We just went this week and we were very pleased…
“We just went this week and we were very pleased! The place is big, clean and warm, and you can drop everything in one location. Not to mention, the personnel is super nice and friendly. Super!” — Maria L.
“We dropped off some recycling last week and were amazed…
“We dropped off some recycling last week and were amazed to see that there was mini recycling bins for the kids! They loved this and it made the kids morning to be able to pitch in and help. Great facility!” — Sheri K.
Quiet, clean and well organized recycling facility…
“Quiet, clean and well organized recycling facility! And no funky odours which is a bonus. I love that I can finally bring my food Styrofoam somewhere for recycling too. Also they have a restore – which is something our community has needed for a long time.” — Jessica H.