Think Before You Throw Composting and Recycling at Black Horse Pike Schools Good for Your School Good for the Community Good for the Environment

Why Should you Compost and Recycle at your School? Good for Your School Allows Students and Staff to learn about nature, conserve resources, reduce waste, and save money by cutting down on garbage costs. Good for the Community Compost improves soil structure and texture, increases the soil’s ability to hold both water and air, and stimulates healthy root development in plants. Good for the Environment Food scraps and yard waste make up 20-30% of the waste stream. Making compost keeps these materials out of landfills, where they take up precious space and release methane emissions, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. Source: USEPA

Where should our Garbage go? 1.Reduce/Reuse It 2.Compost It 3.Recycle It 4.Landfill Reduce/Reuse Compost Recycle Landfill Most Preferred Least Preferred

Where should our Garbage go? Reduce/Reuse It – Prevent making waste by using Reusable Lunch Bags and Containers, Bottles and Bags. Use Reusable Instead of Disposable

Where should our Garbage go? Compost It – Composting is the act of turning organic waste — i.e., food scraps, plants, paper — into soil that can be used to improve garden soil so that plants will grow big and be nutritious. BeforeAfter

At School – Beverage Boxes, Plastic to bottles and containers, Aluminum Cans, and Glass Bottles Where should our Garbage go? Recycle It – Recycling is the process of turning used products into a new product; this is done to conserve the consumption of resources, energy and space used in landfills. Before After

What if we Didn’t Compost or Recycle – How Long would it take Materials to Breakdown? Source: NYSDEC from something that was once living 2 months – 15 years from non-living things 100 years - Infinity ∞ Biodegradable -Material, generally organic or material derived from nature, that is Capable of being broken down into harmless products by the action of living things such as fungi, bacteria and insects. Non Biodegradable - Material, generally in-organic or man-made material, that is Not Capable of being broken down into harmless products by living things.

What if we Didn’t Compost or Recycle – Where would our Garbage Go? To the Landfill – What a Waste! Although the US makes up only 5% of the world’s population, it produces about 40% of the worlds waste. Approximately 60% of our waste thrown away today could be recycled.

What Can You Do to Make the Composting and Recycling Program Successful? Participate! YOU Have the Ability to Make this program a Success! Tips for an Successful Program: -Educate Students and Staff on Correct Segregation of Compost, Recyclable, and Landfill materials. -Display Informative Signs and Posters. -Establish a Straight Forward Collection Bin Set-Up. -Sort Waste at the Table Before Discarding. -Repeat Regular Reminders about the Program at Lunchtime and throughout the School Day.

Correct Waste Segregation – What Goes Into the Compost Bin? Food and Paper Waste -Place ALL Food left on your tray, separated from plastic or non-paper wrapping. -Any Paper product including, paper plates, napkins, paper food wrappers, wooden popsicle sticks, wax paper, and tissues. -Any Cardboard Containers including Milk cartons (without plastic spouts), and food trays. -NO Plastic straws, plastic wrap, or plastic bags, etc. -NO Metal - aluminum foil, yogurt foil tops, foil lined packaging, etc. -NO Styrofoam - Styrofoam lunch trays, soup bowls, cups, etc.

Correct Waste Segregation – What Goes Into the Recycling Bin? Recyclable Beverage and Food Containers, Bottles and Cans What Goes Into the RECYCLING BIN? -Plastic to bottles and containers -Aluminum cans -Glass bottles -Tin cans -Juice/Milk Boxes (No Straws) -Clean Paper/Cardboard

Correct Waste Segregation – What Goes Into the Landfill Bin? Items NOT Compostable or Recyclable Go into the Landfill -Plastic Straws -Plastic film and Plastic wrappers -Styrofoam Cups, Plates, Bowls, and Trays -Plastic forks, spoons, knives -Plastic plates and cups -Non-Recyclable Plastic containers -Aluminum Foil, Foil lids, Foil lined Paper -Chip Bags -Fruit Pouches -Drink Pouches

Great Signage

Straight Forward Collection Bin Set-Up Recycling Landfill Liquids

Sort Waste at the Table Before Discarding Compost Recycling Landfill Dispose Waste in Correct Bin Sort Waste on Tray

Thank You Organic Diversion, LLC 46 South Maple Avenue Marlton, NJ