HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS IN RECYCLING
Many schools are involved in recycling paper, cans and bottles. Educators need to be aware of some problems associated with this commendable activity.
| 1. | Paper creates a fire hazard and our
buildings are not constructed for storage purposes. For
years we have fought the battle against excess material
in hallways and the cardboard recycling containers are
not acceptable in hallways, corridors, etc. In fact, the
fire and insurance inspectors will not accept these
containers in hallways.
|
| 2. | Old cans and bottles brought in from
outside the school often bring in germs and insects and
could create a serious health problem. Children will
gladly bring in pop cans and bottles, some of which were
found in fields and ditches. Some schools found they were
troubled with insects last year that come out of
containers designated for recycling. (Many of those
schools also had a policy of not spraying for insects!)
|
| 3. | Newspapers piled up in classrooms and with sporadic pick up. If your recycler says "I can't take anymore this month" - what do you do with them? |
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
| a) | Two recycling boxes in a storage area in each school that are emptied each week. This permits only materials from within the school, not outside material. |
| b) | Use an outside storage shed and /or bin. The shed should be locked and the bin of metal construction located a safe distance from the building. |
| c) | Set up a schedule with a mobile unit (or bin) that travels from school to school. For example: Eastside school has the unit in the parking lot during Week 1 and then Westside for Week 2, Northside Week 3, etc. |
| d) | Let the community club do the recycling! |
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