Public and private schools are required to provide standardized recycling and organics education to reduce confusion about what can and cannot be recycled and what can and cannot be commercially composted or commercially fed to animals.
Specifically, education requirements are:
- Provide standardized education messaging in print or electronic format to each of the following groups (where applicable): student, employee, food service staff, custodial and housekeeping staff, and any other contractor or volunteer that is responsible for sorting, collecting, or managing recycling and waste. Education must occur at least:
- Annually
- Within 30 days of new hire or new tenant
- Within 30 days of a substantive change to your recycling or waste program
- Keep records of when the education occurred and who received the education to demonstrate compliance.
Education resources
Use free county materials to help meet education requirements. The county provides resources, such as articles for sharing and recycling guides to help train on what can and cannot be recycled.
Requirements for standardized recycling education
Use the standardized language below to meet 
Ordinance 110 solid waste abatement messaging requirements. Education messages must include:
1. What to recycle
Educate on what can and cannot be placed into a recycling container using the standardized language below. The recycling images are optional but recommended.
Put these items in the recycling
Paper
- Newspaper and inserts
- Magazines and catalogs
- Mail and office papers
Cardboard
- Corrugated cardboard
- Paperboard (e.g., cracker boxes)
Cartons
- Milk and juice cartons
- Soup, broth and wine cartons
- Juice boxes
Metal cans
- Aluminum, tin, and steel cans
Glass bottles and jars
- Food and beverage bottles and jars
Plastic bottles, containers and jugs
- Containers numbered 1, 2 or 5
- Soda, juice and water bottles
- Milk and juice jugs
- Margarine, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and other tubs and lids
- Laundry detergent bottles and jugs
- Clear berry and produce containers
Keep these items OUT of the recycling
- Batteries
- Food and liquids
- Paper cups, plates and napkins
- Plastic bags and wrap
- Shredded paper
- Styrofoam
- Tanglers (chains, cords, hoses, string lights)
- Trash
2. How to recycle
Educate on how to properly recycle using the language below.
Follow these rules to ensure recycling gets recycled right:
- Bottles, jars and containers are empty and dry.
- Leave caps on containers.
- Flatten boxes.
3. Collection best practices
Educate each person responsible for collecting or transporting recyclables (e.g., housekeeping, facilities, custodial staff and contractors) using this language:
- Place only recyclables into cart or dumpster. Keep recycling materials loose (not bagged) when putting them into hauler-provided carts or dumpsters. Instructions include:
- Do not place plastic bags in the recycling.
- Empty recyclables out of the plastic bags directly into the designated recycling cart or dumpster.
- Place plastic bags in the trash.
- Properly maintain containers.
- Keep containers together: Make sure there is a recycling container within 10 feet of each trash container.
- Avoid overflow: Ensure the containers are large enough or emptied frequently enough, so they are not overflowing.
- Ensure that each recycling and trash container has a visible label and follows county labeling requirements for color, words and images.
Requirements for commercial composting education
Use the standardized language below to meet county messaging requirements if organics are collected for commercial composting.
1. What organics to collect
Educate on what can and cannot be placed into organics containers using the language below. The organics images are optional but recommended.
Put all food scraps in the organics container – including:
- Bakery and dry goods
- Coffee grounds
- Dairy products
- Eggs and eggshells
- Meat, fish and bones
- Produce/fruits and vegetables
Additional bullets can be added for items accepted for commercial composting only if the compost facility accepts them and they are part of your school organics program. Example language:
Additional items
Keep these items OUT of the organics container
- Cartons
- Refrigerator and freezer boxes
- Plastic items
- Diapers
- Recyclables (glass, paper, metal)
- Trash
2. Collection best practices
Educate each person responsible for collecting or managing organics (e.g., housekeeping, facilities, custodial staff and contractors) using this language:
- Use Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) certified compostable bags.
- Use BPI-certified compostable bags to line organics containers.
- Look for the BPI logo on each product or on the box they came in to ensure they are certified as compostable bags.
- Place tied bags in organics cart or dumpster.
- Tightly tie off BPI-certified compostable bags with organics before placing them in the external cart or dumpster designated for organics.
- Properly maintain organics containers.
- Ensure that each container has a visible label that meets county labeling requirements for color, words and images.
- Ensure the containers are emptied frequently, so they are not overflowing or causing odor issues.
Requirements for animal feed education
Use the standardized language below to meet county requirements if organics are collected for animal feed (e.g., livestock and hog farms permitted to take food scraps, animal manufacturing).
1. What food scraps to collect
Educate on what can be placed into organics containers (e.g., all food scraps, meat, dairy products or fruit and vegetables). The food scraps images are optional but recommended.
Educate on what cannot be placed into organics containers, including:
- Cartons
- Diapers
- Napkins and paper towels
- Plastic items
- Recyclables (glass, paper, metal, plastic)
- Trash
2. Collection best practices
Educate each person responsible for collecting or managing organics (e.g., housekeeping, facilities, custodial staff) using this language:
- Properly maintain organics containers.
- Ensure that each container has a visible label that meets county labeling requirements for color, words and images.
- Ensure the containers are emptied frequently so they are not overflowing or causing odor issues.