Recycling helps reduce our environmental impact and saves the district money. This process gives your items a new life by recycling the material into other products.

Waste Reduction is the broader effort that involves decreasing the overall volume of items sent to the landfill. Recycling is an important part of waste reduction, but other programs also support this effort:

• Specialty Recycling of items not recycled in the standard blue bins.
• Food Recycling (aka "Composting") that turns food waste into nutrient-rich soil.
• Reuse programs, which help replace single-use items with reusable ones, or finding a new purpose for old items.
• Reduction programs, such as buying less of what you don't need, or picking products that have less wasteful packaging. 

Learn more about our many waste reduction initiatives below.

Recycling is a district requirement at OCPS. See the video below to learn more about what recycling means at OCPS. 

OCPS recycled more than 54% of all the waste generated in the District in school year 2018-2019. This includes materials collected in our school and facility single stream recycling program, end of life electronics, used textbooks, pallets, scrap metal and waste from the Facilities Division from new school construction and from the Transportation Department such as old tires.
 

Do you want to get started recycling at your school? Click to open the "How to" Guide: How to Start a Recycling Program in Your School.docx

What goes into the recycling bin? What goes into the garbage? Watch the video and find out:Staff Recycling Training Video

Are you looking for a way to increase awareness for recycling in your school? Consider using this self-printed QR Code Recycle Bin resource to connect your community to district resources. 

Schools can earn money is through Clothing Recycling. Click here for more info: Clothing Recycling FAQs

A top priority to help achieve cost savings to the District is through waste reduction and reuse strategies. The USDA estimates that cafeteria food waste accounts for between 30%-50% of the waste stream at schools. Our schools have options to reduce the food waste generated in cafeterias through composting and donations. Visit our Composting page for more related information.

Food Donation and Share Tables are a strategy employed by many schools.  Donation Tables allow students to give unwanted food to local non-profits.  Share Tables allow students to give unwanted food to other students.  Interested in getting started, click on the "How to" guide:

• How to Start a Share Table Program.pdf
• How to Start a Food Waste Donation Program in Your School.docx
• Watch the video and learn how to Reduce Cafeteria Food Waste

For schools located in the City of Orlando, free compost bins are available. Request a free composter here.

Click here for printable posters for your cafeteria's disposal area: Food Recovery Line Posters

Want to learn more about recycling and waste reduction? Would you like to have a speaker at your school? Contact Orange County Public Schools Sustainability Office: Sustainability@ocps.net

The ReCollect Tool helps your school or facility to:

• Find out your garbage or recycling schedule
• Find out how to recycle or properly dispose of any item
• Get help with other garbage or recycling issues

Are you looking for ways to bring recycling into your teaching? Please see lessons fulfilling Big Ideas in our ELEMENTARY RECYCLE RESOURCES.zip

Learn how to get your school community involved in learning how to recycle right while earning funds for your sustainable initiatives. Learn more about the program by reading Tough on Trash Waste Reduction Program Details

The new Mixed Recycling Poster have been delivered to all OCPS schools in 2022. Each school is required to display these posters at frequently occupied hallways, gyms, and cafeterias/lunchrooms. Request more posters or print your own at your school or with OCPS Print Services - learn how here. 

Remember to reduce your waste first, reuse what you can, then recycle only what's mentioned in the poster as a last resort!

For resources and training materials for custodian staff, visit our Custodian Resources page. 

Custodian Support

Are you a custodian who needs support with recycling at your school? Please click here to fill out the Custodian Recycling Survey or email Sustainability@ocps.net

¿Usted es un conserje quien necesita apoyo para reciclar en su escuela o colegio? Por favor haga clic aquí para llenar la Encuesta del Reciclaje Para los Conserjes o manda un correo a Sustainability@ocps.net