Introduction

The world today suffers from many things, but a huge one is we have too much trash.

Landfills today are overfilled, trash is decomposing and releasing gasses affecting the

atmosphere, and we’re using so much paper that we’re losing forests causing the extinction of

many animals. All of this could be solved if we recycled more.

A major contributor to all of the paper in the landfills, are schools. In classrooms teachers

distribute many papers every day and 37% of schools don’t recycle. In a school that held a

hundred teachers, on average, the school would use 250,000 pieces of paper annually, and would

spend $30,000-$50,000 a year on just printing paper. In addition, schools can recycle much more

such as food, cardboard, metal, etc.

Figure 1

Diagram of School recycling program

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 The purpose of this report is to show the need of recycling of schools, and the influence it

could bring to the world. Schools have to start recycling because it could very well be the future

of this nation. This report will show the benefits recycling. How it will have an effect on the

environment, how it could have a ripple effect to other businesses, and could help get rid of

waste.

Discussion

Amount of waste a school produces

Schools are one of the largest benefactors to landfills. A study was conducted on six

different schools in Minnesota and all different areas (suburban and urban). They found that over

78% of the trash going to landfills could be diverted and recycled.

 50% can be composted, food, liquids, and non-recyclable paper.

 23.9% was just food waste.

 23.5% was recyclable paper (cardboard, printer paper, etc.)

It was estimated that Minnesota schools generated 483,520 pounds of waste a day. These

statistics are just from one area; now imagine the waste of all the schools combined in all of

America.

In another study, they gathered information from 30 schools from across the country;

they discovered that in just one meal a school produced,

 465.2 pounds of unopened/unused food.

 They wasted about 955.9 pounds of liquids.

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  2,893.3 pounds of wasted food.

 789.5 pounds of landfill waste.

 Only 588.5 pounds recycled.

Instead of wasting all that food, it could have been donated, recycled, or composted.

Only 57% of schools recycle, meaning the rest of the schooling send their waste to

overfilled landfills, contributing to our environmental issues. All of this could be solved by just

implementing recycling programs into schools.

Figure 2

Percentage of what is found

in landfills

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Landfills effect on the environment

Because of the lack of recycling landfills are being overfilled, but that is not the only

issue. Landfills are causing environmental issues, such as air pollution and groundwater

pollution. Not only that but they are the cause of some health issues and the loss of species.

Air, and groundwater pollution has become a large issue. About 2/3rds of the landfill

waste, is biodegradable organic matter. Once this organic matter starts decomposing it, releases a

methane gas, which is a greenhouse gas. This gas is so horrible to the environment that is traps

twenty times more heat than carbon dioxide. Not only that the smell of landfills are awful

making the area unlivable. Because of landfills, groundwater is contaminated. As soon as it rains,

the water falls on landfills and some of the waste dissolves making harmful chemicals that leak

into groundwater. As a result, drinking water is no longer drinkable.

Studies have shown that landfills have been tied to cancer, birth defects, and repertory

illnesses. The reason for this is the chemicals that leaked into drinking water and the increase of

vermin and bacteria that live in landfills.

Since landfills are so overfilled, new landfills need to be created leading to deforestation.

Because all these new landfills, animals are losing their homes and have no way of going

anywhere else. The loss of forests has led to extinctions; it was found that there was a loss of 30

to 300 species per hectare. Not only that, but more vile species and plants started replacing the

others.

It is very clear that landfills effect the environment greatly and need to be reduced.

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 Figure 3

Landfills environmental effects

Influence of schools, and benefits of recycling

Schools are influential to students. School is where kids develop habits, develop

character, and learn skills. Schools are known to hold the future of nations. If schools started

recycling, they would integrate recycling in student’s everyday lives. To them recycling would

become a habit and a part of life. Therefore, once students would graduate they would integrate

recycling in work and home life. This would create a ripple effect of businesses and homes

everywhere recycling, possibly eradicating landfills and waste.

There are many benefits to recycling in schools, and some of them might even surprise

you,

 Less air pollution

 Conservation of forests and wildlife

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  Health benefits

 Clean drinking water

 Recycling costs are cheaper than disposal costs

 Teaching students values

These are not the only benefits but they are some of the most important. As we can see, recycling

in schools can have a large effect on all of us and it is so simple and actually cheaper. There is no

reason for schools not to implement recycling; financial reasoning is not even a valid cause.

Conclusion

In conclusion, not only does recycling in schools benefit the environment, but it also

benefits the schools itself and other businesses/homes. By recycling in schools, we teach students

how to treat the environment, and teach them new habits to also take out to the workplace and

home. In short recycling is important, especially in schools.

Recommendations

 Donate: Donate any unwanted supplies to other classrooms, or other organizations, and

donate unused food to homeless shelters or other organizations.

 Composting Program: Start a composting program to reduce food waste and to avoid

food going to landfills.

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 Education: Educate students on the benefits of recycling, and of the effects of landfills

on the environment.

 Less paper: Instead of using paper in classrooms, use electronics. Using electronics

actually “in the long run” costs less then using paper and helps the environment.

 Bins: Put recycling bins in each classroom to make it easy.

 Not only paper: Also put out bins to recycle metals, aluminums, plastic, etc.

Figure 4

What to recycle

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 References

Nestor, Michele. “What Are School Recycling Programs Teaching Our Kids?” Waste360, 7 May

2015, www.waste360.com/business/what-are-school-recycling-programs-teaching-our-kids.

“Why Recycling Is So Important And Why It Should Be Encouraged In Schools.” Organic And

Natural Choices, 26 Nov. 2012, www.organicandnaturalchoices.com/recycling/.

“School Waste Study.” Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 21 Mar. 2018,

www.pca.state.mn.us/waste/school-waste-study.

“The Effects of Landfills on the Environment.” Sciencing, sciencing.com/effects-landfills-

environment-8662463.html.

Schklair, Ali. “LifeSmarts Students Shocked at Waste Uncovered during Cafeteria Food Waste

Audits.” LifeSmarts, lifesmarts.org/2017/07/10/lifesmarts-students-shocked-at-waste-uncovered-

during-cafeteria-food-waste-audits/.

Harmony. “Recycling and Waste Reduction Tips for Schools.” Harmony, 22 Sept. 2014,

harmony1.com/recycling-waste-management-schools/.