Making Recycling Work

The four local school boards in the Ottawa area have contracted with Goulbourn-Stittsville Sanitation to do the recycling for the boards. As a result of the change, schools should be aware of the following:

1. Pizza Boxes: They may be recycled if there is little or no food present in the boxes. The pizza company should be requested to put liners in the top and bottom of the boxes. Liners are put in the garbage; boxes are then recycled. If the pizza company is unwilling to meet this request, consider seeking a company that will.
2. Milk Cartons: They cannot be recycled at this time. Ed Lamoureux, Supervisor of Custodial Operations, is working with Goulbourn-Stittsville Sanitation to see if this would be possible.
3. Watch for "Beyond the Blue Box", a pamphlet full of ideas for re-use and a dozen ways to use milk cartons. Your Principal will receive copies very soon.
4. Construction Paper: It can be recycled. Macaroni and other non-recyclable material should be removed. Water-based glue and paint are acceptable. We would encourage you to remove staples from papers before recycling. Post-it notes, Kleenex boxes and Bristol board may all be recycled.
5. Books: Those books that cannot be re-used by others can be recycled if the front and back covers have been removed. The covers go in the garbage and the rest goes into recycling.
6. Tetra pacs/juice boxes: They are not recyclable. The wax on the fibre product makes it impossible to separate.

The OCDSB represents 54% of the students in this contract. The OCDSB contributes 80% of the recycling. We are making a difference!

To make recycling work or improve on your program, consider implementing some of the following strategies:

1. In the elementary schools, assign a monitor for every classroom to assist with "right things the right way". In secondary schools put the recycling cans right next to the garbage cans. Have them clearly labeled to assist with "right things the right way".
2. Make covers to go over classroom bins to avoid contamination. Use a piece of Bristol board. Cut out the centre to correspond to what is recycled in the bin. Put a list of what can go in the bin on the Bristol board. Laminate the Bristol board, cut and make into a box and place on the bin.
3. Implement a prize program to reward and reinforce recycling, e.g., 67's tickets, free computer time, "golden trash can" award or the "golden dust pan" award.
4. Consider composting in individual classrooms (or as a school) and use the "dirt" in the school garden(s).
5. Host a litterless lunch/garbage-free lunch. Work at making it a daily event.
6. Consider having students eat snacks in class rather than outside at recess- it avoids litter on the yard, bees and wasps, etc.
7. Look at limiting the use of paper in the classroom and the school - assignments and newsletters on-line; use both sides of paper for project or reports.