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Recycling collection benchmark
The recycling collection benchmark encourages schools and districts to create systems that increase recycling and reduce contamination. Increasing recycling can reduce disposal costs for schools and districts. It also ensures that valuable resources are kept in use and out of the landfill.
School criteria for recognition
Fill out the School Recycling Collection recognition form when you have completed the following criteria:
- Show an increase in your recycling rate OR sustain a recycling rate of 40%.
- Track your recycling rate at least three times and share the findings with your program representative. Optional: Use this recycling rate worksheet to gather data and determine a recycling rate. Show low contamination, or an improvement in contamination rates.
- Create a system to monitor contamination in recycling bins. Collect data over time (at least 2 weeks) to see how effective your system is. Share results with your program representative.
- Conduct a Waste Walk Through (WWT) every year. Use the information to set recycling and waste reduction goals.
- Share waste reduction goals with the rest of the school. Examples could include assemblies, newsletters, announcements, or social media posts.
- Place labeled and paired trash and recycling bins in all classrooms, offices, and common areas. Ensure the labels reflect current recycling guidelines. Refer to our recycling resources below for Green Schools Program examples.
- Share your recycling collection efforts and progress with your program representative.
Recognition form
Fill out the School Recycling Collection recognition form. Schools may fill out the recognition form at any time of school year. Contact your program representative if you need assistance filling out the form.
You can complete the recognition form over multiple sessions using the "Save" button. You will be emailed a link that allows you to continue filling out the form. Once the form is complete, select the "Submit" button.
Check out all the schools that were recognized for Waste Reduction in 2025-26.
Recycling resources and activities
- Recycling rate calculation worksheet
- Determine the size of your dumpster worksheet
- Plan a paper recycling campaign
- Contact your Green Schools Representative to order signs, stickers, or bins
Interested in learning more? Check out our resource list for more detailed information on this benchmark topic.
Success stories
Emerald Park Elementary School in Kent School District noticed that they had trouble with contamination in their recycling bins. Many students either did not know what items could be recycled, or they were in too much of a hurry to properly sort their waste. The green team joined forces with the student council to educate students through posters and signs, make sure all the recycling bins had the correct signage, and invited 5th graders to help younger students sort waste at the end of lunch. Everyone noticed a reduction in contamination, and the 5th graders' enthusiasm for recycling properly was infectious.
In order to reduce contamination and improve recycling collection at their school, students on the Green Team at Lakeridge Elementary in Mercer Island School District made a presentation and went into each classroom to teach about how to sort trash properly. Green team members also monitored sorting station in the cafeteria to make sure students took the time to separate their waste from lunch properly. Finally, students led their school in collecting plastic film in a partnership with Ridwell to prevent more plastic from going to the landfill!
Issaquah School District and the City of Issaquah partnered together this year to reduce waste through diversion in Issaquah schools. Teams of city staff visited Issaquah Middle School and Issaquah High School multiple times throughout the year to provide hands-on assistance with waste sorting in the cafeterias. The results: Issaquah High School reduced lunch waste by 62%, and Issaquah Middle School recycled or composted 74% of cafeteria materials. Great work, students!
Tukwila School District, in partnership with the City of Tukwila, implemented recycling and compost collection in all five Tukwila schools in 2024. The district received support from the King County RE+ Voucher Program and supplies and technical assistance from the City of Tukwila to get these systems up and running. Every school had a dedicated staff and student team that worked hard to keep contamination low and divert as much waste as possible. As a result, every school reduced its garbage dumpster size at the beginning of this school year, saving the district significant money. Together, the five schools have kept more than 1,000 cubic yards of waste out of the landfill—enough to fill 11 school buses!
