"Innovations" Case Studies: School Recycling

Assessing Progress and Educating Students

• Assessing Progress During Implementation
• Educating Students On the Benefits of Recycling

Assessing Progress During Implementation

Monitoring progress during the implementation of a source reduction and recycling program is critical to ensure its success. This will help in planning expansion of the program. Unfortunately, very few participants have made the effort to adequately monitor the progress of their programs.

One method of monitoring progress is surveying faculty, students, staff, and haulers. This can provide initial input, but face-to-face interaction with the participants will build understanding and lead to new innovations in the program.

Feedback is important to motivate participants and demonstrate progress. Posting monthly figures will keep students and staff aware of the effort and stimulate greater participation. Comment cards on the central bulletin board will also help improve operations and address concerns of contamination of recyclables, pests around bins, and institutional support.

Obtaining diversion data is essential to monitoring the efficiency of the program and recommending changes. The waste haulers and the school will have data on the collection of waste prior to the program. As the program continues, the non-recovered waste amount picked up by the hauler is easily monitored. Use this data to calculate an approximate diversion number.

The diversion figure will not show the impacts of source reduction efforts or pre-existing recycling operations. Obtaining data from weights/volumes of materials actually recycled-and reflected on transportation paperwork-is the most accurate way of measuring real diversion.

In 1997, the City of Fremont started an aggressive recycling program. The program included a strong documentation effort in nine model schools, representing 27 percent of the city’s 30,500 students. The program revealed the following:

• Schools represent 2 percent of the city’s waste stream.
• Approximately 50 percent of the waste stream is recyclable.
• Prior to program implementation, schools diverted 9.5 percent overall. Elementary schools diverted 11.8 percent; junior high schools, 6.6 percent; and high schools, 6.8 percent (this does not include grasscycling or other diversion).
• Model schools diverted 370 tons of recyclables during the first year, 1997-98
• Six schools recycled 34.4 tons of milk cartons, with overall projected diversion of 130 tons in 30 schools.
• Two high schools recycled 2,556 pounds of paper during a locker cleanup day.

Educating Students On the Benefits of Recycling

An educational component in a recycling and waste reduction program maximizes the efforts of students, faculty, and staff. It also ties together the source reduction and recycling efforts with class activities and leaning. Supporting the teachers and allowing their input in the development of this component. will ensure a seamless fit.

The educational component should include:

• Teacher training
• Curriculum
• Classroom materials
• Student/class participation
• Field trips
• Outreach/awareness

Teacher training and curriculum go hand-in-hand. Training to use the curriculum ensures teachers have the background available in the subject. The scope of the curriculum used will vary depending on the type of program operated and materials collected.

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Curriculum Materials Are Readily Available

The CIWMB offers curriculum packages and training to educators at no cost. These include:

• Closing the Loop: Exploring Integrated Waste Management and Resource Conservation
• Earth Resources-A Case Study: Oil
• Municipal Solid Waste
• The Worm Guide: A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers

The CIWMB has staff assigned to assist local governments and schools by geographic region. Staff can provide information, contacts, and resources. They can also conduct free teacher training sessions. Teachers attending the workshop receive a complete resource package. These curricula can be incorporated into multiple subjects providing creative hands-on activities.

Educators can obtain classroom materials to teach the concept of reuse and recycling from various sources. A valuable 224-page resource guide, Environmental Education Compendium for Integrated Waste Management and Used Oil, is available from the CIWMB Publications Clearinghouse (more information available) or the California Department of Education. This resource is a catalog of existing quality instructional material on integrated waste management and used oil available nationwide.

Integrating Recycling Into Classroom Activities

Resource reuse centers are a highly creative way of incorporating “reduce, reuse, recycle” into the classroom, while at the same time saving teachers money on classroom supplies. These operations, most often nonprofit groups, collect reusable materials from businesses and the community for teachers to use in the classroom on all types of projects. Teachers can add to their classroom activities, save money, and help to reduce waste. Some centers offer teacher training and project ideas.

In the County of Santa Clara, the RAFT (Resource Area for Teachers) Center accepts donations of materials from businesses and individuals. These donations are tax-deductible, and RAFT ensures that all donated materials go to established nonprofit organizations or schools.

The center is established as an independent nonprofit, which educators pay a nominal fee to access. In addition to having access to the center and supplies, they receive training on potential material uses and classroom projects. RAFT was able to divert close to 6,300 cubic yards of materials in 1999.

Student participation in class or project activities will ensure that students understand why the program’s efforts matter. The lessons in biology, chemistry, and resource management will give students a picture of the “resources loop.” This awareness and understanding will shape students’ attitudes towards the program and their level of participation. This can result in a decrease in contamination of recyclables and an increase in the volumes recovered. Program issues are resolved quickly.

Field trips to waste transfer stations, recycling centers, materials recovery facilities, and landfills give the students dramatic visuals. Many waste haulers and waste management authorities are happy to work with schools to provide tours as staff time and operations allow. Many will have promotional and public relations materials that can be used as class resources.

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Last updated: October 26, 2007