Fort Zumwalt schools step up recycling efforts

By Elizabeth Perry

This year, the Fort Zumwalt School District is implementing a new pilot recycling program at six of its schools.

West High School, Rock Creek Elementary School, North Middle School, J. L. Mudd Elementary School, Hawthorne Elementary School and East High School will adopt a new recycling plan. The schools will be used to measure the program's success, said Mike Clemens, the assistant superintendent of administrative services for the district.

Superintendent Bernard DuBray said developing a program to implement uniform recycling standards throughout the district was a priority.

"Every school was doing something different," Clemens said.

Clemens was chairman of the recycling committee that created the pilot program.

"We plan on incorporating student involvement this year," Clemens said.

Clemens said the schools will begin using single-stream recycling, in which most recyclable materials go into a single bin.

Clemens said the simplicity of having fewer bins will encourage recycling. Glass and Styrofoam would still be collected in separate containers, he said.

"It will not only save the environment, but it will cut back on our trash bill," Clemens said.

QRS Inc., is providing recycling services to the district through their location in Hazelwood, Clemens said.

Brent Batliner, vice president of procurement for QRS, said the company services five school districts, including Fort Zumwalt.

QRS hauls the materials, provides containers to the schools, educates teachers on how to encourage recycling and processes recyclable materials at their own plant, Batliner said.

"We do it all," Batliner said.

For the first time, the district is also trying Styrofoam recycling at West Middle School, DuBray said.

Principal Jennifer Waters said she thought her school, which has 1,500 students, was chosen because of its large enrollment.

Dart Corporation, which manufactures Styrofoam products, provided a machine that condenses Styrofoam into small blocks in order to make recycling easier, Clemens said.

Clemens said Dart collects the bags of concentrated Styrofoam for a fee.

The district is renting the condensing machine on a temporary basis, but Dart will not charge for use of the machine if the district signs a contract with them, Clemens said.

Clemens said he hopes the Styrofoam recycling program will become a model for other districts.

Waters said with the inclusion of Styrofoam recycling, West currently recycles all of its waste except food rubbish and plastic wrap.

Waters said her custodial staff's patience and dedication have led to that success. Waters said the students also deserve credit.

"I think the kids really enjoy recycling," Waters said.