Springfield Public Schools

&

Waste Corporation of Missouri, Inc.

Announce a single stream, “comingled” recycling program for the R12 district!

Effective for the 2009/2010 school year

It is with great excitement that we announce a new single stream, comingled recycling program for the district. WCA will be our sole source for all of our solid waste and recycling needs for all schools and buildings in the district. We are currently removing and replacing containers at each site preparing for a start date to begin with school year 2009/2010.

What does this all mean? Below are some key points of the new program as well as an attached flyer detailing out all of the new items we will be able to recycle.

1.       Dramatically increase what we can recycle, and reduce what goes into landfills. This will directly reduce our carbon foot print across the board.

2.       The ease of comingling. All recyclables will be placed in one container, which will be taken offsite and sorted for recycling.

3.       No more driving plastic bottles to the community recycling centers!

4.       Through this program we are seeing a reduction in our total expenses based on the previous programs! Recycle more and Save!

5.       By creating a solid sustainable program for all schools, we are removing the time and effort that administrators and faculty have spent in the past, allowing them more academic/personal time.

Working closely with our custodial group, we will be placing cardboard recycling containers inside all schools. Our focus will continue to be primarily on plastics, paper, cardboard, tin, and aluminum. Gradually we will add items and define processes as the program progresses.

This will be a pilot program for the year, a year of learning and tweaking the processes. We have used historical data and estimates to determine the appropriate size of containers and frequencies of pulls. We will be monitoring this on a monthly basis, with a projection of right sizing and schools during the Christmas break.

Communication and participation is critical, Environmental and Green Teams will need to be developed at all sites and continue to collect throughout their schools. Additionally we will be developing a reporting system to show the impacts of the program per school and across the district. I encourage you to email me any questions or concerns, and maintain a strong communication flow with your school’s Head Custodians.

 Please feel free to print the following fliers and post them in your building: Comingled Recycling Guide and The Recycling Bin's Dirty Dozen.

We will be setting the bar in SW Missouri, and provide a sustainable step towards molding our district for the future. Thank you in advance for your continued support and feedback through this pilot program.

Acceptable “comingled” recycling materials are:

Newspaper (no plastic rain bags), Catalogs, Telephone Books, Junk Mail, Manila Folders, Advertising Inserts, Office Paper, Magazines, Brochures, Corrugated Cardboard, Carrier Stock (cardboard soft drink cartons), Chipboard (cereal, shoe, etc), Paper/Hardback Books, Cardboard egg cartons, Pizza Boxes (NO FOOD), Shredded Paper (in paper bags), Plastics #1-#7, Aluminum Cans, Steel (tin) Food & Beverage Cans

  ALL CONTAINERS MUST BE RINSED AND CONTAIN NO FOOD OR LIQUID

ALL LIDS AND RINGS SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM ALL BOTTLES

NO GLASS JARS OR BOTTLES WILL BE COLLECTED

Unacceptable materials include:

 Styrofoam, plastic bags, gift wrap, blueprints, hanging file folders, aseptic containers, paper cups, paper plates, tissue paper, paper towels, photographs, pet food bags, fertilizer bags, charcoal bags, kitty litter bags, oil, anti freeze containers, or plastic containers with chemicals, and household hazardous material and automotive product containers.

Types of Plastic: 

Sometimes it seems like modern America is one colossal plastic palace. The versatile material is in our cars, toys, packaging, clothing, home goods, food utensils, medical devices and so much more. It is also littering our streets, clogging our waterways and choking marine life. Many plastics can be readily recycled, but how do consumers make sense of all the different types and rules?

Number 1 Plastics
PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate)
Found in: Soft drink, water and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing and vegetable oil containers; ovenable food trays.
Recycling: Picked up through most curbside recycling programs.
Recycled into: Polar fleece, fiber, tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, straps, (occasionally) new containers
PET plastic is the most common for single-use bottled beverages, because it is inexpensive, lightweight and easy to recycle. It poses low risk of leaching breakdown products. Recycling rates remain relatively low (around 20%), though the material is in high demand by remanufacturers.

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Number 2 Plastics
HDPE (high density polyethylene)
Found in: Milk jugs, juice bottles; bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; some trash and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; butter and yogurt tubs; cereal box liners
Recycling: Picked up through most curbside recycling programs, although some allow only those containers with necks.
Recycled into: Laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, pens, recycling containers, floor tile, drainage pipe, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencing
HDPE is a versatile plastic with many uses, especially for packaging. It carries low risk of leaching and is readily recyclable into many goods.

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Number 3 Plastics
V (Vinyl) or PVC
Found in: Window cleaner and detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles, clear food packaging, wire jacketing, medical equipment, siding, windows, piping
Recycling: Rarely recycled; accepted by some plastic lumber makers.
Recycled into: Decks, paneling, mudflaps, roadway gutters, flooring, cables, speed bumps, mats
PVC is tough and weathers well, so it is commonly used for piping, siding and similar applications. PVC contains chlorine, so its manufacture can release highly dangerous dioxins. If you must cook with PVC, don't let the plastic touch food. Also never burn PVC, because it releases toxins.

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Number 4 Plastics
LDPE (low density polyethylene)
Found in: Squeezable bottles; bread, frozen food, dry cleaning and shopping bags; tote bags; clothing; furniture; carpet
Recycling: LDPE is not often recycled through curbside programs, but some communities will accept it. Plastic shopping bags can be returned to many stores for recycling.
Recycled into: Trash can liners and cans, compost bins, shipping envelopes, paneling, lumber, landscaping ties, floor tile
LDPE is a flexible plastic with many applications. Historically it has not been accepted through most American curbside recycling programs, but more and more communities are starting to accept it.

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Number 5 Plastics
PP (polypropylene)
Found in: Some yogurt containers, syrup bottles, ketchup bottles, caps, straws, medicine bottles
Recycling: Number 5 plastics can be recycled through some curbside programs.
Recycled into: Signal lights, battery cables, brooms, brushes, auto battery cases, ice scrapers, landscape borders, bicycle racks, rakes, bins, pallets, trays
Polypropylene has a high melting point, and so is often chosen for containers that must accept hot liquid. It is gradually becoming more accepted by recyclers.

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Number 6 Plastics
PS (polystyrene)
Found in: Disposable plates and cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles, compact disc cases
Recycling: Number 6 plastics can be recycled through some curbside programs.
Recycled into: Insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, vents, rulers, foam packing, carry-out containers
Polystyrene can be made into rigid or foam products -- in the latter case it is popularly known as the trademark Styrofoam. Evidence suggests polystyrene can leach potential toxins into foods. The material was long on environmentalists' hit lists for dispersing widely across the landscape, and for being notoriously difficult to recycle. Most places still don't accept it, though it is gradually gaining traction.

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Number 7 Plastics
Miscellaneous
Found in: Three- and five-gallon water bottles, 'bullet-proof' materials, sunglasses, DVDs, iPod and computer cases, signs and displays, certain food containers, nylon
Recycling: Number 7 plastics have traditionally not been recycled, though some curbside programs now take them.
Recycled into: Plastic lumber, custom-made products
A wide variety of plastic resins that don't fit into the previous categories are lumped into number 7. A few are even made from plants (polyactide) and are compostable. Polycarbonate is number 7, and is the hard plastic that has parents worried these days, after studies have shown it can leach potential hormone disruptors.