Waste Diversion Guide for Schools

Transcription

1 Waste Diversion Guide for Schools Schools in the Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud, Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest, and the Provincial Schools Branch (Halton) are encouraged to participate in waste diversion programs, such as Blue Box recycling and GreenCart composting. All schools in these publicly-funded school boards receive Blue Box collection, and are eligible to receive GreenCart collection as well. School recycling programs reduce waste, maximize resources, and promote good environmental citizenship. Children and youth learn how to recycle effectively and how to teach others, including their families, this important lesson. It is easy to implement a successful recycling program in your school! Collection Schedule Your school s Blue Bins and GreenCarts are collected once a week. Your school s waste collection resumes the week of August 31, Waste collection continues as regularly scheduled through the December Holiday Break and March Break. Unless requested, your school s waste collection ends the week of July 5, Your school s Blue Bins and GreenCarts collection will take place one day later due to the following holidays: Labour Day (September 7, 2009) Thanksgiving (October 12, 2009) Family Day (February 15, 2010) Easter Monday (April 5, 2010) Victoria Day (May 24, 2010) There is no change to your school s waste collection due to the following PA Days and holidays: PA Day (November 13, 2009) PA Day (December 4, 2009) PA Day (February 1, 2010) Good Friday (April 2, 2010) Special Events Waste Reduction Week October 19 to 25, Earth Day April 22, Canadian Environment Week May 30 to June 5, World Environment Day June 5,

2 Blue Box Recycling In Halton Region, Blue Box acceptable materials can be mixed together in the same Blue Box. There is no need to separate these materials into different Blue Boxes. However, some schools do choose to separate containers and papers into different Blue Boxes in order to keep messier materials such as drinking boxes away from drier materials such as paper. This is perfectly acceptable; however the collection truck will be mixing the materials together. Additional Blue Boxes can be ordered from your school board. If you don t have enough Blue Boxes, use a cardboard box. Large photo-copy paper boxes are the perfect size. Blue Bins (360-litre bins on wheels) can be ordered from your school board. Tips Put Blue Boxes in every classroom, the library, computer lab, photocopy room, staff room, etc. Attach Blue Box acceptable materials stickers to each Blue Box. Place Blue Box acceptable materials posters above each Blue Box. Label each Blue Box with room numbers so they are easily returned. Plastic bags are not accepted in Halton Region s Blue Box program. If you are using a plastic liner in your Blue Box to prevent liquids from spilling, please ensure the liner is not going in the large Blue Bin that is set out for collection. Pizza days can generate a lot of waste. If cardboard pizza boxes are fairly clean of grease and oil, collapse the boxes and stack them inside your Blue Bin. Milk programs are a great way to promote nutritious habits in students. Remember, milk cartons can be recycled. It is important for students to empty any leftover milk into a sink to prevent any liquid messes. The milk cartons go in the Blue Box. Shredded paper can go directly in your outdoor Blue Bins. Place heavier materials like books or containers on top to prevent litter. Old text books can go in the Blue Bins for recycling. Only many text books, the collection truck will not be able to during the summer, please contact Halton Region to make arrangements for collection. Collection Students can collect Blue Boxes from classrooms every other day. Under the supervision of a teacher or custodian, students can empty the Blue Boxes into the Blue Bins. The custodian brings the Blue Bins outside for collection. Please have Blue Bins ready for collection by 7 a.m., the morning of your scheduled collection day. Please ensure all locks and chains are removed from the Blue Bins to ensure materials can be easily collected.

3 GreenCart Organics The GreenCart program is available to any publicly-funded school. School principals can contact John Watson, Waste Diversion Education Coordinator, indicating there is administrative, staff, custodial and student support for the program. Schools will be added to the program as collection and processing capacity becomes available. GreenCarts (40-litre and 360- litre bins) and Kitchen Catchers are provided by Halton Region. Your school board will provide you with the appropriate liner degradable Products Institute (BPI) logo: Oxo-bidoegradable bags, blue recycling bags, garbage bags and plastic shopping bags are not accepted in the GreenCart. Tips Put Kitchen Catchers or GreenCarts in every classroom, washrooms (with paper towel), the library, computer lab, photocopy room, staff room, etc. Line Kitchen Catchers and GreeCarts with Biodegradable (supplied by school board). Attach GreenCart acceptable materials stickers to each GreenCart. Place GreenCart acceptable materials posters above each Kitchen Catcher or GreenCart. Label Kitchen Catchers and GreenCarts with room numbers so they are easily returned. Use an elastic band around the Kitchen Catcher to help hold the liner bag in place. At the end of the day, place a small amount of construction paper, paper towels or newspaper on the top of the food in the Kitchen Catcher or GreenCart. This will help keep the material dry, preventing odours. At the end of day, close the lids of all Kitchen Catchers and GreenCarts. Paper towel can go in the GreenCart. Encourage students to use only two hands of paper towel or one sheet to reduce waste. Encourage your school s nutrition program to use paper plates, paper napkins and paper cups as these materials are accepted in the GreenCart. garbage. Collection Students can empty classroom Kitchen Catchers into the 40- litre GreenCarts every day, either during second nutrition break or afternoon recess. Under the supervision of a teacher or custodian, students can empty the 40-litre Green Carts into the 360-litre Green Cart every other day. before putting it into the GreenCart. The custodian brings the 360- litre GreenCarts outside for collection. Please have 360- litre GreenCarts ready for collection by 7 a.m., the morning of your scheduled collection day. Full 360-litre GreenCarts may be heavy, use caution when moving Green Totes. Please ensure all locks and chains are removed from the 360-litre Green Carts to ensure materials can be easily collected.

4 Waste Minimization Lunch & Snack Programs Many schools initiate lunch programs in order to fundraise while providing healthy snack and lunch options for children. Styrofoam and cardboard/ metal composite lids go in the garbage. If these materials cannot be avoided, perhaps the lunch program provider will take back these materials for disposal. GOOS Basket Some classrooms have GOOS baskets (Good On One Side) to collect paper for reuse. If a student has used one side of the paper, it can go in the GOOS basket and then another student will be able to use the back. GOOS Basket stickers can be ordered from Haton Region. Double-sided Photocopies Whenever appropriate, double-side all printing and photocopying. Paperless Newsletters Offer a paperless version of your school newsletter to students and families. Ensure you comply with the school board s privacy policies when sending PDFs of newsletters via to families. Lug-a-mug Encourage all staff to lug-a-mug to staff meetings. This will reduce the amount of disposable cups consumed within the school. Avoid providing Styrofoam coffee cups, as these items go in the garbage. Special Events During events like Open Houses, School Concerts, etc., make Blue Boxes available for guests. Verbally remind guests to use the Blue Boxes. Avoid the use of glitter on paper posters, because the glitter makes the paper unacceptable in the Blue Box. Batteries Halton Region and the school boards discourage all schools from establishing battery recycling programs for residential batteries. Schools are trying to minimize waste, not add to the waste they have to manage. As well, there are safety concerns about students transporting back packs or pockets should they connect. There are potential liability issues for adults transporting kilograms of batteries in their personal vehicles. Please do not start, or operate, a battery recycling program for residential batteries. Encourage students and families to bring household batteries to a Take It Back! Halton partner. Take It Back! Halton is a directory facilities that take back materials to be reused or recycled. There are over thirty locations throughout the Region taking back batteries for recycling. Electronics Your school board has arranged for the recycling of electronic waste such as computers, televisions and VCRs. Residential is for school electronics only. Please contact your school board to discuss the program. Fluorescent Tubes board to discuss the program. Yard Waste Many schools are planting gardens and trees as part of the Ontario EcoSchools program. If you require yard waste collection, please follow these guidelines: HCDSB, PSB: schoolyards are maintained by contractors or staff, arranged by the board. Additional yard waste collection is not required. HDSB, CSDCCS, CSDCSO: schools can request the collection of yard waste (acceptable materials would have to placed inside paper yard waste bags). Please contact Halton Region at john.watson@halton.ca to schedule collection.

5 Additional Recycling Opportunities Cell Phone Recycling Toronto Zoo Eco-Cell Program The Toronto Zoo provides your school with a (postage pre-paid) and the cell phones are recycled. Monies generated from the recycling supports gorilla research. Cell phones contain a metal called coltan, the mining of which is destroying the habit of lowland gorillas. Think Recycle Think Recycle provides your school with a bin to collect old cell paid) and the cell phones are recycled or refurbished. Monies generated from the recycling goes back to the school. Ink Cartridges Think Food mail (postage pre-paid) and the ink cartridges are recycled. Monies generated from the recycling supports local food banks. Think Recycle Think Recycle provides your school with a bin to collect used ink cartridges. mail (postage pre-paid) and the ink cartridges are recycled or refurbished. Monies generated from the recycling goes back to the school. Snack & Drink Materials TerraCycle runs national programs called Brigades, each of pouches, Mars/Wrigley candy wrappers, and Frito Lay chip/ snack bags. Each location earns a 2 donation for every piece of waste collected (sometimes we measure this by weight), and the donations go to a school or charity of that team s choice. The team leader signs up online at Begin collecting! The team leader is immediately able to access Once you have collected the minimum pieces of waste (it varies by program), download a free UPS shipping label and use it to send the waste to TerraCycle via UPS. Waste-free Lunches A waste-free lunch will make it easy to reduce and reuse our waste. There would be a lot less garbage going to the free lunch. Imagine the positive impact we can have on the environment by reducing our waste! Schools should host a waste-free lunch at least once Trashless Thursday, etc.

6 Waste Diversion Education & Outreach Workshops To book a school workshop, please contact John Watson, Waste Diversion Education Coordinator, john.watson@halton.ca. Please note: any school starting the GreenCart program will be supported by compulsory workshops. Elementary School Workshops Designed for primary, junior and intermediate students, the school workshop focuses on the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle). Students learn why using the Blue Box and GreenCart, and packing a waste-free lunch, helps the environment by can be delivered to individual classes or to grade division assemblies (kindergarten, grades 1-3, 4-6, 7-8). Each workshop is approximately 30 minutes. There is no cost for school workshops. Secondary School Workshops The secondary school workshop covers issues in waste operations. The workshop also discusses ways to promote recycling within the high school. The high school workshop is suitable for Civics, Geography, Canadian & World Issues, Environment & Resource Management classes, or the school s Environmental Council. Workshop length is approximately 45 minutes. There is no cost for school workshops. Student Conducted Waste Audits To book a student conducted waste audit, please contact John Watson, Waste Diversion Education Coordinator, john. watson@halton.ca. Students, under the supervision of Regional staff, sort one day s worth of garbage into different categories and then weigh the materials. One day s worth of Blue Box, and GreenCart material, is also weighed. This information reveals the school s waste diversion rate, common recycling or composting materials found in the garbage, and the school s annual waste generation. The The waste audit is best complemented by classroom visits to the audit area. Regional staff and the sorters can outline their recycling and composting. Tours of the Halton Waste Management Site To book a tour of the Halton Waste Management Site, please contact John Watson, Waste Diversion Education Coordinator, john.watson@halton.ca. Take a tour of Halton Waste Management Site! Learn how the HWMS safely and responsibly manages the Region's garbage and how waste diversion programs help reduce the amount of 45 minutes, and includes the Container Station, Household Hazardous Waste Depot, Reuse Depot, Yard Waste Composting A tour leader is provided. Students will tour the HWMS in a school bus, arranged by the school. For safety reasons, students cannot exit the bus during the tour. Waste Management Services reserves the right to cancel bus trips due to unforeseen circumstances that may impact safety. Halton Region Dial 311 or Toll free HALTON ( ) TTY Public Works For Our Community and Our Environment. PWES-09108

7 Blue Box Collection Schedule Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Amar, Sean Lisa, Nimesh Nicole, Levi Patrick, Chiaki Jamal, Trevor Ibrahim, Cody Halton Region Dial 311 or Toll free HALTON ( ) TTY Public Works For Our Community and Our Environment. PWES-09108

8 GreenCart Collection Schedule Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. All Teams: Replace Kitchen Catcher bags today. Ben, Andrew, Tracy Stacey, Sally, Leslie Art, Dave, Bill Shirley, Walter, Sue Dougie, Gerrit, Val Janet, Andrea, Rod Running low on Kitchen Catcher bags or GreenCart bags? Tell Mrs. Tessari who will contact the school board. Were the GreenCarts not collected? Tell Mrs. Tessari who will contact the school board. Halton Region Dial 311 or Toll free HALTON ( ) TTY Public Works For Our Community and Our Environment. PWES-09108

9 Put Waste in its Place Blue Box GreenCart Garbage Aluminum foil (Aluminum foil, aluminum pie plates & baking containers) Metal food & beverage containers Bread, toast, cereal, baked goods & pizza Fruit Cake, cookies, pie, Plastic caps, plastic soup lids & plastic coffee lids Plastic cutlery & stir sticks Glass bottles & jars (Clear or coloured, food & beverage glass containers) Boxed beverage containers (Tetra Paks, juice & soup boxes, gable top containers such as milk & juice cartons) Coffee grounds & Shredded paper Eggs & egg shells Plastic wrap and bubble wrap Plastic bags, baggies, & liner bags (cereal bags) Pasta, couscous, potatoes, rice, Dairy products, cheese & yogurt (no containers) Styrofoam, black & clear plastic take-out containers Clear plastic clam shell containers Plastic bottles (Water, pop, juice, dish detergent, garbage) 1 PET 2 HDPE Plastic tubs & lids (Cottage cheese, cream cheese, dips, ice cream, margarine, & yogurt tubs) 5 PP Paper cups, paper plates, paper take-out containers & bowls (including bones) Juice pouches Straws & plastic lids Cigarette butts & ashes Pencil shavings Books (Hard & soft covered books & telephone books) Boxboard (Cereal, detergent, liners go in garbage) Nuts & nutshells Vegetables, corn cobs & husks, pumpkins & salads Corrugated cardboard (Tie in bundles no larger than 91cm x 91cm x 30cm) (3 ft x 3 ft x 1 ft) Fine paper (Computer paper, writing paper, envelopes, Sauces, mayonnaise, salad dressing, syrups, peanut butter, jams & jellies (no containers) Paper napkins, paper towels, facial tissues, paper towel rolls & toilet paper rolls Fats & oils, lard, gravy, butter & margarine (no containers) Houseplants Single-serve plastic food containers (yogurt, cheese & cracker containers) Disposable mop sheets, sanitizing wipes and dryer sheets Diapers, sanitary products, swabs, cotton balls & pads String, twine Magazines Newspapers Hair, pet hair, feathers, nail clippings & dryer lint Popsicle sticks, toothpicks, wood chips, sawdust & cold wood ashes (in paper bags) Gum packages and blister packs Light bulbs (not CFLs), ceramics, drinking glasses, window glass (wrap in newspaper)

10 Waste-free Lunch Week Pack a lunch that leaves no waste A waste-free lunch will make it easy to reduce our waste and reuse food packa teacher and parent packed a waste-free lunch. Imagine the positive impact we have on the environment by reducing our waste! Use these items to pack a waste Reusable lunch bag Reusable containers Thermos Reusable cutlery Cloth napkin Don t be wasteful. If there is something in your lunch or snack you don t like, don t throw it away. Bring it home and discuss other healthy alternatives with your family. If your school does not have a GreenCart, take food scraps and paper napkins home to put in your GreenCart. The following items go in the garbage; they are not part of a Waste-free lunch: X X X X X Plastic lunchable containers and snack packs Single-serve yogurt, apple sauce and pudding containers Plastic baggies Drinking pouches Plastic cutlery Halton Region Dial 311 or Toll free HALTON ( ) TTY Public Works For Our Community and Our Environment. PWES-09108