Because of the amount of paper used by student, teachers, PTOs and administration, schools are recycling goldmines!  Add to paper the great amount of recyclables generated at lunch time, and schools become an important contributor to our City’s waste reduction goals.

Recycling at schools in Fort Lauderdale is provided by private companies.  Public and charter schools are serviced through Broward County, private or parochial schools must follow the guidelines for Commercial Recycling.  If your school does not have a recycling program, please inquire of your school Principal, Headmaster or Administrative Office.

Your Child as Teacher 

Chances are that your child knows quite a bit about the correct way to recycle.  Schools do a great job of passing along this information, either through the curriculum or at special events such as Earth Day and America Recycles Day.  We encourage you to ask your children about these lessons (each April and November) and to let them take charge of recycling correctly in your household.

Re-use at Your School

Schools are also great RE-users and UP-cyclers.  Many materials that a lot of us would toss away are eagerly accepted by schools to re-stock supply cabinets, art rooms, and media centers.  Please check with your school’s administrative office or PTO to see what their needs may be.  Working electronics may be a particular need.  Rather than generating more e-waste, we encourage you to see if your school can use old televisions, computers, tablets, printers, and other equipment—even cables.  Please make sure everything is in good working order and fairly up to date before donating to a school, as old or broken equipment may add expense and not meet safety or educational standards.

Recycling for Fundraising 

Finally, just as recycling is economically beneficial for our City and for businesses, recycling can be a great fundraising strategy for schools.  Collecting certain items, that are usually mailed to specialized processors, can earn schools dollars, help us to pull even more waste out of landfills, and are a great way to empower children to support their school community, their City and the planet.