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Helping schools reduce pollution

Our goal is to be a coordinated and comprehensive source of information to all members of the school community by providing a variety of information, services and assistance about environmental issues and opportunities in order to help schools improve their environmental health and performance.

Disclaimer: The information provided here is not all-inclusive, but the MPCA will list all relevant internal and external resources and keep them current to best of its ability. Please contact us if you have something to link or post that may be of interest to this audience, or notify us if something should be updated or removed.

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Topics and issues

Facility Operations and Purchasing

Health and Wellness

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Statutes and Compliance

Teacher's Tools

Success stories


Good Question

How can we obtain recycling bins?

recycling binNeed bins to get going on recycling? One of the greatest challenges to starting a school recycling program is obtaining bins for the classroom. The MPCA suggests doing the following to locate the most affordable collection containers. For further information, you can go to the Recycling Association of Minnesota's website.

Seven Options for the Acquisition of Giant Recycling Bottle Bins

  1. Direct Purchase: RAM is the vendor through which you can purchase one of those giant pop bottle bins that are everywhere lately, RAM does ask that you make a minimum order of 10 bottles, due to shipping costs. Each bin comes with two different types of signage to choose from. Bin cost for members RAM members is $90 per bottle and $110 per bottle for non-members; Call RAM to join or place your order at 651-641-4560. As always you can also visit the collaborative MPCA & RAM website address at www.recyclemoreminnesota.org/how for more information regarding the bin purchase program
  2. Another approach is to simply contact your local county solid waste office to see if they have a recycling bin program or know of a recycling bin program you can participate in.
  3. If your budget is limited or you don’t need 10 recycling bins there is always the option of finding like minded partners to do a group purchase in order to meet the minimum order requirement.
  4. Meet with your recycling hauler to see if they will provide bins or grants to obtain them or as a negotiated contract stipulation. (Often the recycling hauler will provide large containers for bulk storage and collection from the loading dock as part of the overall contract agreement.)
  5. Talk to your bottling and soft drink beverage vendor to see if they will provide collection bins or boxes as part of the contract to sell their products in your facilities.
  6. Grants for recycling bins are typically offered twice a year in the spring and fall. For more information about the grant program, visit the program Web site or call 843-278-7686.
  7. Become a member of the state’s Cooperative Purchasing Venture where you can purchase containers at a bulk rate and save money.

Success stories

Reduce and Recycle through “Resource Management” contracts

  • Throwing something away wastes valuable resources - that’s the main idea behind resource management (RM) programs. RM programs focus schools on preventing waste and maximizing recycling by looking at the dumpster and all the way back to what is purchased and how it is used. RM also maximizes the cost efficiency of a district’s overall waste management, where less waste is a valued outcome. Eagan-Apple Valley-Rosemount School District and their RM contractor found that elementary classroom recycling rates skyrocketed when they tested a new way of collecting recyclables and trash -- making the recycling bin the primary and most obvious bin. Recycling increased from 11% to 53% and yielded enough cost savings to undertake organics composting. Minneapolis Public Schools signed a RM contract in 2009 which includes assessing the district’s baseline of waste/recycling generation, auditing of every schools’ wastes, and periodic reporting of actual weights of outgoing materials. Weight-based data and billing transparency are key components that will allow the district to better manage their resources. They expect dramatically increased services and less waste generation per dollar spent. To learn more, contact Madalyn Cioci at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 651-296-6300. (7/09)
Last modified on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 15:24
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