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Community Relations

Recycle for Our Schools Program

DISTRICT RECYCLING BINS NOW ACCEPT ALUMINUM, PLASTIC TYPES 1 AND 2 AND MUCH MORE!

The Gardner Edgerton USD 231 Recycling program now allows you to recycle more types of items than ever before. The district recently upgraded all recycle bins to accept an expanded list of products (see list below). While there are many more types of items we can now accept, there is a list of items that should not be placed in district receptacles.

RECYCLING is a great way for citizens and businesses to support Gardner Edgerton schools.  Each school has a recycling drop-off bin, which is usually located in a school parking lot for easy accessibility by car.  Funds from the recycling program support a variety of school projects, reading programs and activities. The more you recycle, the more our schools can earn!

NEW List of Items for USD 231 Recycle Bins:

YES

NO

newspapers

TRASH

catalogs

books

ad inserts

gift wrap

magazines

blueprints

phone books

photos

brochures

carbon paper

office paper

plastic bags

manila folders

string

junk mail

paper ream wrappers

soft drink cartons

shredded paper

cereal boxes, shoe boxes, etc.

frozen food containers

aluminum beverage cans (please empty and rinse)

hanging file folders

#1 plastic (see examples below)

 egg cartons

#2 plastic (see examples below)

paper cups/plates

 

kitty litter

 

fertilizer/charcoal bags

 

dark or fluorescent paper

 

tissues or tissue paper

 

towels

 

scrap metal

vitamin/prescription bottles

motor oil bottles

automotive product bottles

film cannisters

yogurt or margarine tubs

6-pack holders

GLASS

Examples of Type 1 Plastics (PET #1):  containers for carbonated and non-carbonated drinks such as soft drinks, liquor, juice, water and sports drink containers. Also, food, household cleaning products and personal care products (peanut butter containers, salad dressing containers, cooking oil containers, mouthwash containers, shampoo bottles, window cleaner containers, dishwashing and detergent containers, etc.), with a screw-on lid. Generally, PET #1 polyethylene terephthalate containers are clear or slightly tinted.

Examples of Type 2 Plastics (HDPE #2):  natural or translucent containers and colored/opaque containers (milk jugs, juice containers, personal water containers, liquid detergent containers, bleach containers, fabric softener containers, shampoo containers, dishwasher detergent containers, etc.) with a screw-on lid. Do not include motor oil containers, automotive product containers, margarine or yogurt containers, pesticide/herbicide containers, household hazardous material containers, etc. Generally, HDPE #2 High Density Plyethylene is translucent or colored.

How we Utilize Recycling Dollars

At Edgerton Elementary School, recycling dollars are used to increase our Guided Reading book library. Books are very expensive, and without this additional revenue, we would not be able to provide as large a selection of books for children.

Gardner Elementary School also uses recycling dollars to purchase student books for Guided Reading lessons. Next year, GE may use the funds to offset costs for the fourth grade field trip to Earthworks.

At Madison Elementary School, students and staff are “going green”.  Each week students collect recycling from the classrooms to go into our recycling bin.  Recycling at school helps students to realize the amount of waste that is generated weekly and teaches them to be responsible citizens by saving a little piece of our earth everyday.  Families are encouraged to send in recycling or drop it off at our recycling site behind Madison Elementary.  Money generated from Madison’s recycling goes into the student activity fund.  Let’s all do our part and make recycling a part of our daily lives.

At Moonlight Elementary School, recycling dollars are used to purchase books.

At Nike Elementary School, recycling dollars go into the student activity fund, which covers speakers and special student activities which we would otherwise not be able to have. One very important aspect of recycling is the responsibility it teaches our students, who are in charge of collection and organization.

At Sunflower Elementary School, we continue to use our recycling dollars to defray the costs of field trips and to purchase resources for students. We have purchased services from the Johnson County Extension Office, and have had eggs to incubate, butterflies to hatch, silkworms to grow and even rats to feed (demonstrating what happens when the rats eat different diets). We continue to buy additional books for Guided Reading.

Students at Pioneer Ridge Middle School began their recycling program last fall.  Each classroom and staff work room has a tub to make collection of paper easier.  Each week, students collect paper from each classroom and take it to the recycle bin located near the playground.

At Wheatridge Middle School, paper recycling is more than a money maker; it is a  life skill that we are trying to instill in students and community members. Being aware of the environmental needs is really the bigger issue.  WMS students are responsible for collecting recyclables at the school and District Offices Building every Friday.

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