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Cleanlink News 4/7/2009

County Boosts Recycling in Local Public Schools


Students in Madison County, N.Y., are learning how important it is to recycle with a little help from an outside source. Madison County Public Information Officer and Recycling Coordinator Sharon Driscoll is currently working on a project that involves distributing new green recycling bins to schools in the county in order to encourage the act of recycling.

Being able to distribute the bins is part of an even larger effort to make sure that county residents who don’t have a bin or need one because they’ve had a mishap with their last one are able to get a new one, as recycling was written into state law in 1990.

But the education-related part of the project concerns the revitalization of recycling in local schools and Driscoll said she has come across her share of students, teachers, administrators and janitorial staff who are ready to take it seriously. After all, to achieve recycling success, cooperation throughout the entire school is necessary.

“If you have one link in the chain that’s broken, it won’t work,” she said.

But so far, the reaction from the schools involved- and the dedication to recycling correctly - has been impressive.

“We want the schools to recycle and the Department of Solid Waste and Sanitation is doing what it can to promote solid recycling programs in Madison County Schools,” Driscoll said.

Though each year around 1,500 to 2,000 Madison County students tour the county landfill and recycling center on Buyea Road, Driscoll said that financial constraints have made it hard for some such field trips to take place. At that rate, Driscoll is happy to visit schools, especially when the students prompt the visit.

There have been several times when Driscoll has met eager students, ready to make a commitment to seeing a good recycling program develop and grow in their respective schools. At Willard Prior Elementary in the Oneida City School District, a project that began last year on earth day has grown into a concentrated effort to recycle throughout the school.

“They’ve got a really good recycling program,” Driscoll said of Willard Prior. “That is one of the few schools that has personally pursued it.”

Fifth grade teacher Brian Planck recalled when students’ small project grew into something more substantial.

“A few students who were doing the project came to me and said ‘We don’t seem to have a recycling program at Willard Prior. Maybe we should start one,’” he said.

The students began right away, he said, with the help from teachers and school maintenance specialist Howard Treadwell. Treadwell was happy to explain how recycling worked to the students and has lent a helping hand since the project began. Planck said that a lot of progress has been made, especially as students have made signs featuring lists of what can be recycled, what can’t and hung them in all classrooms and offices.

“These have helped our recycling effort go from about 50 percent last year to about 80 percent now,” Planck said of the signs and added that he was optimistic that the 30 new green bins Driscoll brought along on one of her last visits will generate even more interest in recycling.

“We’re hoping that these new bins will get us to 90 percent,” Planck said.

In addition to bringing by bins, Driscoll has also presented to fourth, fifth and sixth grade students. A recent presentation, called “Do you know what products are made from the materials we recycle?” amazed some students, Planck said, as it was hard for them to believe that parts of a fleece jacket could be made out of recycled milk cartons.

But Driscoll said that the students were very receptive and asked great questions. She noticed that they, along with others at the school, realize that recycling is important.

“They all deserve a pat on the back for doing such a good job -teachers, administrators, students and custodians,” said Driscoll.

Planck said that recycling isn’t always easy, not even for adults.

“It’s tough. Even teachers get confused because it changes,” he said. “Things you thought were not recyclable before are now.”

Nonetheless, the students are keeping up with the changes and seeing to it that recycling is happening, at school and beyond.

“We’ve had kids say that they’re not only recycling more at school because of what [Driscoll] taught them, but also more at home,” he said.

Sixth grade students Alex Perrone, Jakob Albro and Kendall Bennett are among the group of students involved with the initial effort to bring recycling into the school. They said that they are happy with the results so far and have learned a lot in the process of getting their project off the ground.

“There are lots of plastics. I thought they were all recyclable but only certain types were, and that differs by state and recycling plant,” said Jakob, who sees a lot of recycling going on a regular basis at Willard Prior.

“Everybody recycles,” he said. “As long as there’s recycling bins in the room, people will.”

Planck, too, has noticed that students are pretty particular about recycling.

“If they see something that’s not supposed to be in there, they lift it out and throw it away,” he said.

Alex said that recycling at school is a good way to set a larger example.

“We’re a school and if we do it, that’s a big part of the community,” he said.

Still, there is room for improvement and Planck said that everyone in the school is striving to achieve the best results.

“We’re hoping to do better,” he said.

Even though the students who started the project will be moving on to middle school next year, they think that students will continue to recycle at Willard Prior.

“They’re already used to it,” Alex said. “There’s no reason to stop.”

Another school district that recently received bins (about 60) and will be “kicking off” their recycling effort is Stockbridge Valley Central School. Assistant Principal Bill Petrilli said that Driscoll will be visiting the school in early April to present to students about recycling.

Though the students already have an idea of what recycling is all about, as a group of students worked on a related project over the summer, Petrilli said that the bins and Driscoll’s visit will serve as a great refresher.

“We thought it would be a good time to remind kids and get them going again,” he said.

Petrilli said that there are a number of benefits of getting into a program like this one, including financial ones.

“Our costs are less if we’re recycling,” he said, adding that there have also been many efforts to conserve when it comes to supplies as well.

And Petrilli said that getting everyone on board won’t be a problem, as the janitorial staff already knows all about the process and older students will be working with younger students to encourage them and keep the message of recycling fresh in their minds.

“We’re all pretty much on board with it and are looking forward to continuing it,” he said.

But anyone can get in on the recycling effort in Madison County. If a county resident is in need of one recycling bin, they are currently available at the following locations:
• The county’s four transfer stations during normal operating hours.
• Brookfield Highway Department
• Town Office Buildings in Cazenovia, Eaton, Georgetown, DeRuyter, Lenox, Nelson and Sullivan respectively
• The landfill office on Buyea Road and the Public Information Officer/Recycling Coordinator’s basement office in the County Office Building in Wampsville.

As reported by The Oneida Daily. 


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