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Other states have also implemented specific laws to facilitate the
diversion of the school waste stream from disposal through waste
prevention, recycling, and/or composting. Here are a few examples of
school waste reduction programs from other states for your information
and reference.
Arkansas
Arkansas
state
law requires each state agency, state college or university,
county, city, and public school, in cooperation with the Arkansas
Department of Environmental Quality and the State Marketing Board for
Recyclables to:
- Establish a source separation and recycling program for
recyclables generated as a result of agency operations.
- Adopt procedures for collection and storage of recyclables.
- Make contractual or other arrangements for transportation and sale
of recyclables.
Additionally, the University
of Arkansas provides information and resources on how to start a
school recycling program.
Connecticut
Recycling is
Connecticut state law! Everyone must
recycle including all public and private schools. The Connecticut
Department of Environmental Protection is concerned that if students
learn it is okay not to recycle at school, they will not recycle at
home. District-wide recycling and waste prevention programs provide
students "laboratories" to test their knowledge and skills by
actively taking part in managing their resources.
Kentucky
Kentucky
state law requires each local board of education to adopt a plan and
procedures for recycling white paper and cardboard in all board-owned
and operated facilities.
New Jersey
Recycling has been mandatory in New Jersey since
1987. Since, school recycling programs require special-planning and
careful implementation if they are to become a lasting part of a
student's educational experience, the Association of New Jersey
Recyclers developed a Recycling
Manual for New Jersey Schools to guide key school personnel
step-by-step through the process of setting up a recycling program. It
provides all the necessary tools for designing and implementing a viable
and comprehensive program in public, private and parochial schools.
Nevada
In Nevada, each school district is required to recycle the paper and paper
products it uses. Specifically, the board of trustees is required to
adopt rules to prescribe the procedure for the recycling of paper and
paper products and may prescribe a procedure for the recycling of other
waste material produced on the premises of the schools and the administrative offices of the school district. Any
money received by the school district for recycling paper and paper
products it uses must be paid by the board of trustees for credit to the
general fund of the school district.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection requires public and private schools, institutions of higher education in
Pennsylvania and any other educational institutions to
recycle where buildings are located in mandated municipalities, as
defined by Act 101 of 1988, the "Municipal Waste Planning,
Recycling and Waste Reduction Act." At a minimum, high-grade
office paper, corrugated paper and aluminum must be recycled. Recycling
programs are required in buildings located in municipalities required to
recycle under Act 101. Additional materials such as glass, newsprint,
plastics, steel and bimetallic cans, and leaf waste may be required by
each municipality.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection provides recycling program
technical
assistance to schools, including information
on implementing recycling programs at sporting events, how to conduct
waste audits and links to other useful resources. This site includes a
“Recycling Goes to School” video showing several schools’
exchange/reuse, recycling, and composting programs.
Rhode Island
In 1986, Rhode Island became the first state to pass mandatory
recycling legislation. The first recycling programs were started in 1988
as a joint effort between the Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management and the Rhode
Island Resource Recovery Corporation. The materials collected for
recycling from this standard program are: glass containers, tinned steel
cans, aluminum cans, foil, and pie plates, "#2" HDPE plastic
milk/water jugs, "#1" PETE soda bottles, and newspapers
(placed inside) brown paper grocery bags." The Rhode Island
Resource Recovery Corporation promotes business
and school recycling as a means to comply with these mandatory
recycling regulations.
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New Hampshire
The New
Hampshire Governor's Recycling Program provides a number of
resources to its schools to facilitate the implementation of waste
reduction programs, including informational guide and technical
assistance regarding composting and recycling. This program also
includes a school recycling club to promote, advance, network, and
stimulate school recycling. The link
provided below describes the “Wild
Washington
Washington state law requires the
development of an awards program to achieve waste reduction and recycling in the public schools, grades
K-12. For law details, see the Washington
State Legislature Web site, including:
- Title
70: Public Health and Safety.
- 70.95C:
Waste Reduction.
- 70.95C.120:
Waste Reduction and Recycling Awards Program in K-12 Schools.
Additionally, the Washington
Department of Ecology has a new solid
waste newsletter called The Closed-Loop
Scoop Newsletter. Each issue covers a variety of aspects of the
State’s solid waste program, including school initiatives.
Texas
The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
developed the Texas
School Recycling Guide (PDF) to outline how to set up and maintain a
school recycling program. This guide emphasizes the advantages of taking
a district-wide approach to recycling, such as shared waste
transportation and centralized storage.
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Saint Paul, Minnesota
Recycling
in Saint Paul is mandatory at all properties, including
institutional, commercial, and residential. The City ordinance states
that at least three materials must be recycled by each institution,
business, and household, including schools.
New York City,
New York
All New York City schools and institutions are required by law to
recycle. Recyclable materials must be kept separate from garbage and set
out for collection on the neighborhood’s Recycling Day. For more school
and institutional information see the New York City web site.
Portland, Oregon
Metro is the directly elected regional government that serves more than 1.3
million residents in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties, and
the 24 cities in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. Metro provides
waste
reduction education for schools, including
recycling assistance to
ensure resources for the future. Additionally, Metro has partnered with
the Oregon Green Schools Association
to assist schools in setting up and maintaining successful waste
reduction programs. This statewide nonprofit program was established as
a cooperative effort among local governments and waste haulers to
formally recognize schools for their waste reduction achievements.
The Oregon Office of Energy promotes Resource
Conservation Management (RCM) as a management tool that provides more control over the operating
costs of district facilities. An RCM program is a well-coordinated effort to
manage the resources and services used, and the waste generated by
district facilities. It involves careful tracking of resources and attention to
operational efficiency. With a comprehensive RCM program in place, quantifiable results
can be expected in the first one to six months.
Most RCM programs achieve 10 to 15 percent savings on utility bills
after the first year, depending on the number of facilities involved and
level of management commitment. This web site provides other useful
information (e.g., benefits, requirements, time and costs) and tools
(e.g., sample policy and implementation plan) regarding RCM.
Seattle, Washington
The Seattle Public Schools have been recycling since 1989 and
formally instituted a Comprehensive
Waste Reduction, Prevention and
Recycling Program for all of its sites and departments in 1992. The
Seattle Public School District has made a commitment to recycling and
environmental education by:
- Retaining a full-time District Recycling Coordinator.
- Devoting resources and equipment to the recycling program.
- Encouraging stewardship projects.
- Incorporating curriculum activities in the classroom.
- Changing waste management practices.
Chittenden County, Vermont
Recycling is mandatory
for all residents, businesses, and school institutions in Chittenden
County, Vermont. The Chittenden Solid Waste District
(CSWD) provides elementary, middle, and high schools recycling bins and
posters at no charge. Their site provides information and tips about
promoting recycling in schools.
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