| More than half of school waste can be diverted from the landfill by recycling, reuse and waste reduction methods.  The City's school recycling program helps students and teachers recycle paper, bottles and cans and learn how to compost food waste using either a worm bin or compost bin.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
The elementary school program is introduced to students, teachers, and custodians sometimes through a School Assembly and Waste Free Lunch Day event. In addition, the school receives the environmental curriculum developed by the State of California (see Education Links below). In May 2007, the Mountain View-Whisman School District stopped using styrofoam lunch trays (shown in 2004 photo at left) in favor of reusable plastic trays, which serve the same purpose--without all the waste.
END OF YEAR CLEAN OUT
At the end of the school year, we can help set up "clean out" services for teachers and facility management or provide referrrals for handling the school's e-waste. The City's exclusive hauler provides all hauling services, including roll-off boxes for construction or yard waste, which are also recycled at the City's SMaRT Station. For more information, please contact the City's Solid Waste & Recycling Section at 650-903-6311.
HIGH SCHOOLS
In Spring 2011, Mountain View High School is participating in the City's Clean Organics Composting Pilot. The Environmental Club is taking the lead on this project to replace styrofoam lunch trays with compostable trays (paid for with their own funds). The pilot will take place in late April or early May 2011 and last for a few weeks.
Environmental Club students will guide other students on how to correctly sort their lunch scraps and trays from other recyclables and trash. The containers will be placed in the cafeteria and nearby outdoor areas. Environmental Club students will check containers daily and provide a report listing quantity, contaminants (trash or recycling in the compostables), and determine a diversion rate. Depending on the outcome, the pilot may continue in September 2011 if the cafeteria can switch to compostable foodware and packaging, and eliminate styrofoam single-serving food containers and other non-recyclable plastics. Below is a simple list of what is accepted during the pilot at Mountain View High School:
Recycling
Clean Paper or Newspaper
Glass Bottles
Aluminum and Metal Cans and Lids
Plastic Bottles, Tubs and Trays (marked #1-7) must be a bottle, tub or tray (no lids)
Cardboard (flattened)
Clean Pizza Boxes
No Plastic Bags or Wrap Food Scraps (Composting)
Dirty Pizza Boxes
Dirty Paper
Compostable Foodware
Compostable Cups (marked PLA)
Paper plates
French fry boxes
Paper cups (waxy okay but no plastic lids)
No Plastic of any Kind Trash (Landfill)
Paper contaminated with oil, food, or paint
Pizza Boxes contaminated with oil or food
Styrofoam
Milk Cartons
Plastic Bags & Wrap
Frozen Food Cartons
Plastic Cups / Straws |
