Teach Students About Recycling!

Date: April 7, 2022

To: Greenville County School DistrictPrincipal of Hillcrest High School
From: Kassie Seiler
Subject: Recycling in Schools
Distribution List: Principles of Greenville CountyTeachers of Hilcrest High School

There are 101 schools in the Greenville County School District, making it the largest in the state
of South Carolina. While having a recycling program in place, not every school participates in it.
If we were able to implement one in our work with every school it may lead other schools to
find helpful ways for each to join in the programdo the same, we would have a lower amount of
waste entering the landfills each year.

Summary
According to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s study ‘No
Time to Waste,’ schools in South Carolina generate an estimated 387,500 pounds of waste
almost every day. Now think about how much waste other schools in the state make per day as
well and add that into the equation, that is a lot of waste generated every day that ends up in
our landfills if part or it is not recycled. We need to establish a recycling program in our school,
so we are not contributing so much to waste buildup in landfills.

What Happens to Waste that Ends Up in Landfills?

If not recycled, waste ends up in local landfills and there are several things that can happen to it
at this point. One of the main things we see happen to many waste materials, mainly plastics, is
that they are washed away with rainwater into local bodies of water and eventually our oceans.
According to National Geographic there is currently over 269,000 tons of waste floating on the
surface of our oceans. Imagine how much of this waste comes from school waste. The amount
of waste that is currently in our oceans is already posing a huge threat to marine life and
habitats, many animals that thrive off eating creatures like jellyfish can easily mistake some of
the plastic waste as these animals.

Benefits of Recycling
There are many benefits that come from recycling. One of the main things is obvious, the
reduction of waste that ends up in landfills and the environment. Many of the materials that
end up in landfills take several to hundreds of years to break down. One of the main materials
that takes a significant amount of time to break down is plastic, if we reduce the amount of
plastic that goes into the landfill, we create the opportunity for the landfills to break down at a
faster rate. Another benefit is that these recycled materials go into the production of other
materials such as newspapers, paper towels, cans, boxes, drink containers, and some materials
can even be used to pave roads and make park benches. One of these easiest things we can
recycle in the school systems is paper. The National Institutes of Health states “Making
products from recyclables results in energy savings. Recycled steel saves 60% production
energy, recycled newspaper 40%, recycled plastics 70%, and recycled glass 40%.” This brings
about another benefit of recycling which is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, which is
another factor that harms our environment.

Conclusion
As schools create a large amount of waste it is important to implement a recycling program in
all schools, not just in Greenville County. If we can create a recycling program that works for all
the schools here, we can branch out and get a recycling program started in every school in the
state of South Carolina. It is important that we get this program started so we can work
together for a cleaner environment for our students to grow up in.

Recommendations
There are several ways to help build a recycling program in the schools and for students to get
interested in it. One of the first things that should be done is to place recycling bins in each
classroom, hallways, and even staff breakrooms. Another great place would be the cafeteria
where there could be separate bins for paper, plastic, cans, and food. Another recommendation
is to create a student organization offered for students that are environmentally conscious, at
the middle and high school level, that focuses on the recycling program.

References

https://scdhec.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/No%20Time%20to%20Waste
%202019%20SC%20School%20Waste%20Study%20OR-1915.pdf

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/ocean-trash-525-trillion-pieces-and-counting-big-
questions-remain/#:~:text=12th%20Grade-,The%20numbers%20are%20staggering%3A
%20There%20are%205.25%20trillion%20pieces%20of,wow%20factor%22%20of%20ocean
%20trash.

https://www.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics

https://nems.nih.gov/environmental-programs/Pages/Benefits-of-Recycling.aspx

https://trashcansdepot.com/blogs/news/top-4-ways-to-increase-school-recycling