Many of the items that would normally get tossed in the trash can be recycled in the District's commingled recycling program.
​
Paper Products: (minimize food residue):  notebook paper, spiral notebooks, construction and poster/butcher paper, colored paper, newspaper, magazines, catalogs and paperback books, envelopes, post-it notes, manila folders, paper bags (empty fast food and lunch sacks), paperboard boxes (i.e. tissue, food and packaging boxes), pizza boxes (side with less grease), empty milk and juice cartons, molded fiber packaging, lunch trays (no food), and drink carriers, paper "boats," wrapping paper, paper packaging, etc. Staples and paper clips are OK.

NO paper towels, tissue (Kleenex), paper coffee or soda cups, laminated paper, or paper plates.

Cardboard: Boxes, sheets, packaging, and pizza boxes (side with less grease). Flatten when possible to save space.  

Rigid Plastic: Empty any food or liquid. All bottles, jugs, jars, tubs, lunch bowls & lids, condiment cups & lids, microwave trays/bowls, clear salad/food containers and cups (including coffee shop cups & dome lids), pails, buckets, baskets, crates and agricultural trays & pots. NO plastic cutlery/sporks, straws, plastic bags, baggies, food bags/wrappers, PVC pipe, electronics, laminated paper, shrink wrap, bubble wrap, or other film plastic.

​

Aluminum/Tin/Metal:  Empty out any food or liquid.  Includes aluminum cans, clean foil, food service products, tin cans, empty aerosol cans, etc.  Larger metal items and furniture can be picked up by Distribution and recycled at the Supply Warehouse.

Glass Bottles & Jars:  All EMPTY glass bottles and jars. Lids and labels are OK.  NO plate, drinking, mirror or window glass, ceramics, light bulbs/lamps, etc.

What can I do to recycle at my school?

All elementary schools in our District have access to a school recycling program for mixed recyclables.  Mixed recyclables include all types of  paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, rigid plastics, metal, and more!

Get your friends to Choose Blue! 

Do you cringe every time you see a fellow student throwing away recyclable paper, cans, or bottles? You can do something to stop this from happening! 

Step 1:  Explain how to participate. Remind your classmates NOT to use the blue recycling bins as trash cans! Trash contaminates the recyclables and may cause all of the recyclables to be thrown away. 

Step 2:  Post a sign on or above the recycling bin that shows the types of materials that can and cannot be recycled at school.  Check out the Resources page for downloadable signage.

Step 3:  Ask your teacher to assign a Recycling Monitor for your class.  A Recycling Monitor (RM) checks the classroom recycling and trash cans a few times a day to make sure everyone is participating properly.  If there is trash in the recycling bin or recyclables in the trash can, the RM can make a quick announcement to the class reminding them how to participate in the recycling program.  Your teacher can assign rotating Recycling Monitors to give everyone a chance to help out.   

Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) Recycling

Set up a program to collect recyclables from the Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) program!   Several schools collect recyclables generated from the BIC program at their school. Items that can be recycled include empty cereal bowls, yogurt containers, plastic fruit cups, and milk and juice cartons.  

At one elementary school, the Building Services Supervisor (BSS) includes a classroom size recycling bin (7 qt.) inside every rolling trash container assigned to each class. At the end of breakfast students empty their extra milk, juice, or other food into the trash can and put their recyclables in the blue recycling bin.  The student helper folds down the trash can liner and places the recycling bin on top before rolling it back to the designated location.  The BSS consolidates the recyclables into a larger can before taking them to the large recycling dumpsters.  The recycling bins are rinsed out for use the next morning.

Some schools tie a clear trash bag to the handle of the designated BIC trash cans and ask students to place their empty recyclables into the bag.

Lunchtime Recycling

A significant amount of material generated at lunchtime can be recycled at school! It's not hard to set-up a lunchtime recycling program, but the school principal and Building Services Supervisor (BSS) should be on board and supportive of the program.  In many cases, the BSS is the person spearheading the program.

WHAT IS RECYCLABLE AT LUNCH?

• Molded fiber lunch trays (some food residue is okay) ~ 10 million lunch trays are generated at our schools every year!

• Milk & juice cartons & boxes (empty) ~ 6.5 million milk & juice cartons are served to elementary students every year!

• Paper lunch bags & food boxes (Lunchables boxes, raisin boxes, etc.)

• Hard plastic items (Lunchables trays, fruit & pudding cups, drink bottles, yogurt containers, clear plastic food containers, etc.)

• Aluminum cans, clean foil, and aluminum trays

HOW DO WE RECYCLE AT LUNCHTIME?

• Set up lunch court Recycling Zone(s) that include 1) a bucket/container for liquids, 2) a recycling bin, 3) a food scrap bin, and 4) a trash bin.  Usually a small table is already set up for students to "whack & stack" their lunch trays for recycling.

• Modify dismissal practices, if needed, to avoid large crowds at the recycling stations

• Recruit student leaders/helpers for each Recycling Zone to assist other students (one student to help at the liquids station to open and pour milk  from unopened cartons and one student to help keep trays neatly stacked).  Plastic gloves should be provided to the helpers.

• Make announcements about the program and what can be recycled at assemblies or rallies; make recycling posters that have actual recyclable items taped on them to show students as an example.

WHAT IS A ZERO WASTE LUNCH?

Zero waste lunches are carefully packed at home using reusable containers for  packaging  instead  of  disposable  items  that  must  be  thrown  away.  

For example, pack lunches with the following:

• Reusable lunch box or bag

• Reusable drink container

• Small reusable pouches for snacks or sandwiches 

• Containers with lids for fruit, crackers, nuts, sandwiches, etc.

• Reusable silverware and napkin

Over time, families can save money and help the environment by choosing to reuse! For more information, just search "Zero waste lunch" on the web.

And don't forget to ask your child(ren) to bring home ALL of their uneaten items so you can get a good idea of what your child is actually consuming at school.  Visit any school at lunch and see how much food kids are throwing away.  It's a real eye-opener.

Check the Resources page for Lunchtime Recycling Resources by grade level!

Spread the word about your new recycling campaign.

• Make eye-catching signs and posters and post them all over campus

• Place recycling bins next to trash bins to make it easy for students to choose recycling. 

• Make announcements over the school Public Announcement system

• Hold a kick-off event or recycling assembly to jump-start your program. 

• Ask if Green Team members can go to each class to explain what can be recycled at school 

How can I recycle at my school?

All middle and high schools have access to a school recycling program for mixed recyclables.  Mixed recyclables include all types of  paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, rigid plastics, metal, and more!

Middle and high schools typically have a student group(s), such as ASB, Environmental Club, AVID, special education class, or other group, that helps collect recyclables from classrooms and then takes the material to the large outdoor recycling dumpsters.  At some schools custodians may provide assistance, but this is not always the case.

Step 1:  Check if your school has a group on campus, that has taken on the recycling program.  If there is a group, but it seems like they are not able to keep up with the program, maybe they need more members or another group to get involved to share the responsibility.  If that is the case, consider getting your friends together and offer to help out!   

Step 2:  Start a recycling club if there isn't one. Make sure your school administrators are on board and find out what you need to do to start a new club on campus. 

Step 3:  Get custodial support.  They will need to know that your group will be emptying the recycling bins from the various classrooms and they may be able to help set up a collection schedule.  

Step 4:  Collection of recyclables - Hallways.  Some schools place larger blue recycling bins or carts in the hallways and ask each classroom to empty their smaller recycling bins into the larger container.  The larger bins can be lined with a clear plastic liner and the bagged recyclables, or the carts themselves, can be taken by custodial staff or student group to the big recycling dumpsters.  

Step 5:  Collection of recyclables - Classrooms.  Classroom-by-classroom collection of recycling bins works well with schools that have active recycling groups. The classroom bins don't need to be emptied every day, but can be scheduled for collection once or twice a week, before or after school. Some ASB groups collect recyclables during a certain class period. All recycling bins should be located next to trash cans so it is convenient for students to recycle.