A Highly Successful Recycling Program

The Recycling Program at Del Norte's School District has been flourishing these past 2 years thanks to the efforts of Recology, the Del Norte County Unified School District, Julindra Recycling, Lorie Poole, and the Children's Health Collaborative. July 2011 to May 2012 saw a 35% increase in monthly savings, while September 2012 to December 2012 saw a 37% increase in monthly savings. In it's first year, the recycling effort provided services to Bess Maxwell, Joe Hamilton, Smith River, and Pine Grove and expanded to Del Norte High School, Margaret Keating, Crescent Elk, Sunset High, and Redwood Elementary in it's second year.

The recycling program begins with a presentation at each school, which serves as an introduction to that school. This is followed by a week of Recycling training, where Recycling aide's are in the lunch rooms guiding the students and staff in placing items in the right cans. After this, the recycling aide's drop in from time to time to check up on the schools.

From September 2012 to December 2012, 1038 lbs of milk and juice cartons, 83 lbs of styrofoam lunch trays, 67 lbs of paperboard lunch trays, and 613 lbs of black plastic trays were recycled.

Recology also created a Poster Contest to reinforce the recycling program, Here are a few of the student's submissions:

Recology will continue this program and starting in September 2013, they will conduct lunch recycling training for all kindergarten classes, provide recycling presentations to individual classes upon request, do recycling projects, and work with managers and custodians to help manage the trash and recycle service. Thanks to everyone that made this program a success!