School Recycling Less Than Certain

Walk by three bins, drop your empty can in one, your paper bag in another, and trash in the third. So simple, even kids can do it. Right?
School Recycling Less Than Certain
Posters created by Lynn Tiede's students at Middle School 45/Stars Prep Academy. (Courtesy of Lynn Tiede)
Zachary Stieber
1/22/2012
Updated:
10/1/2015
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NEW YORK—Walk by three bins, drop your empty can in one, your paper bag in another, and trash in the third. So simple, even kids can do it. Right?

Despite recycling in schools being mandatory in New York City since 1989, a survey of school educators conducted by nonprofit NYC H20 uncovered confusion about all aspects of recycling in schools, from when to put the bags at the curb to who is in charge of recycling.

Not only are schools legally required to recycle, recycling containers must be placed near school entrances and in every classroom and cafeteria. Also, every school is required to appoint recycling coordinators. (Click for legislation)

Four out of 10 respondents to the NYC H20 survey said they were either unsure or didn’t think their school had a coordinator.

Although 77 percent of schools recycle in some form, based on the survey results, 23 percent didn’t know whether their schools recycle.

“There has been some good progress made, but there’s a lot of improvements that can still happen,” said Matthew Malina, founder of NYC H20, at a recycling forum last Thursday. A group of educators, recycling advocates, government officials, and youth gathered at Hunter College to lay out the recycling puzzle and put the pieces in the right place.

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“It’s choreography to get a school recycling program working properly,” said Mary Most, outreach coordinator for Department of Sanitation’s (DSNY) recycling division. “All of the school staff—the entire school community—needs to know what to do, including the cleaning crew.”

Often, several speakers said, different parties—such as janitors, teachers, and government departments—blame each other out of confusion over what exactly is supposed to be going on.

One example is what to recycle and when. Two different waste streams—one of mixed paper and cardboard and another of cartons, cans, metals, and foil—go into separate clear plastic bags. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday paper is picked up. On Tuesday and Thursday, it’s the other stream.

Different entities are working to demystify what seems like a complex process. The stakes are high.

“One in 300 Americans is an NYC school student right now,” said John Shea, Department of Education director of facilities management. “Think about that. Think about the difference that we can make as an organization.”

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Lynn Tiede shared about her success getting students interested in recycling while teaching high school social studies at Middle School 45/Stars Prep Academy in Harlem. She said that the key to getting them interested is to connect recycling with nature.

“Just getting them outside, doing things really hands on, [and] visiting recycling plants,” she said.

Her students were so interested that for three years they were coming in at 7 a.m. to recycle, garnering an award from the Department of Sanitation.