Local Schools Recycle Almost 450,000 Pounds

Target Recycling at School is a recycling collection program and environmental education program the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority offers to local schools. During the 2024-25 school year, more than 34 local schools participated in the program that mainly facilitates mixed paper and cardboard recycling on school grounds. Collection containers are painted a light blue with a picture of mascot Recycling Ben.

The contest is held during an eight-month period to encourage schools to recycle. Schools compete in one of three categories: elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. Each category has a first, second and most improved winner. Schools are compared by recycling rate, which is calculated by dividing the number of students by the weight of recyclables collected. During this last contest, 34 participating schools collected 449,100 pounds of recyclable materials, mostly paper, for an average of 21.9 pounds recycled per student. That’s the weight equivalent of about 3 empty space shuttles and saves 374 cubic yards of landfill space.

The top schools for 2024-23 in the elementary school category were Northstar in first place, Learning Tree School in second place and most improved.

For middle schools, the winners were Valley Point Middle in first place and Most Improved and New Hope Middle in second place.

For high schools, Dalton High School was first place, Southeast High School 2nd place, and Coahulla Creek won most improved.

To encourage recycling efforts within the schools, the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority is awarding them with varying classroom prizes such as recycling bins, pizza parties, and benches made from recycled plastics.

Throughout the year teachers and staff are reminded that Target Recycling at School facilitates recycling by providing an outdoor container to collect paper for recycling. About once a week, or as needed, the container is weighed and emptied by the recycling truck.

A monthly report is provided to school representatives who are on the email mailing list for the program. You can register for the list at http://eepurl.com/YEEM or call (706) 278-5001. Even though recycling collection is provided, it’s up to each school to decide how to manage recycling collection inside.

To make a recycling program really successful there has to be a person in the school responsible for running the program during the school year. Usually, this is the teacher or staff person that leads the school’s green team or Earth Club. Schools that have gone above and beyond the minimal recycling requirements have done so because the recycling program is part of the culture of the school.

A free environmental education program provided by Target Recycling at School further supports school recycling programs and many schools take advantage of this program. This lets students visit the recycling center and landfill to see why recycling matters in-person or the educator can visit in the schools and bring the learning to them.

School recycling programs help establish community norms, teach individual responsibility and environmental stewardship, give participants a hands-on learning experience and make a difference in reducing the amount of waste produced at the school. Recycling is an all-inclusive activity that the whole school can rally around all year long.

Amy Hartline is the recycling and education program coordinator for the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority. Have a recycling question? Contact her at (706) 278-5001 or ahartline@dwswa.org.