What's in your Garbage? Conducting school waste audits
The Oregon Green School application requires that you
evaluate your school’s waste as part of your planning process. If
you know what is being thrown out, and from where, you can make a plan for
reducing and recycling. Contact your local Green Schools Coordinator for
assistance.
Quickest and easiest
way to evaluate your school’s
garbage:
Do a visual assessment – keep your eye on the garbage on a regular
basis, noting what the major contents are in classroom, office and cafeteria
garbage cans.
Preferred way to really know what’s in your school’s
garbage:
Conduct a waste audit – separate the garbage into categories (paper,
glass, food waste, etc.) and measure the volume and weight of each type
of item. This is OGSA’s preferred method of knowing what’s
in your school garbage. Think of it as a great hands-on math lesson.
Download
the following materials to help you get started:
“What’s in Your Waste?” – guide
to conducting a waste audit
Waste audit signs for sorting
Waste audit form to record your findings
“Talking Trash” follow-up activities
| How do you “weigh in” compared to
the average school waste stream? |
| Recyclable paper – |
28% |
Garden materials – |
3% |
| Food waste – |
24% |
Recyclable plastics – |
1% |
| Milk cartons – |
4% |
Hazardous waste – |
1% |
| Recyclable metal – |
3% |
Polystyrene – |
<1% |
| Recyclable glass – |
3% |
All other wastes – |
32% |
(EPA 1993 Education Waste characterization Study) Handy Conversions
| |
1 cubic yard of: |
(average) |
| |
uncompacted but flattened cardboard = |
100 lbs. |
| |
office paper = |
600 lbs. |
| |
aluminum cans = |
65 lbs. |
| |
mixed plastic bottles = |
32 lbs. |
| |
glass bottles and jars = |
600 lbs. |
| |
food waste = |
850 lbs. |
| |
1 Kilogram = |
2.205 pounds |
| |
1 cubic yard = |
27 cubic feet |
Helpful website for conversions: www.convert-me.com
|
