Resources for Green Team Custodians
BUSD Waste Management Checklist Cafeteria • Establish 1-2 multi-sort waste stations. Each station should have: – One bin for bottle/can RECYCLING with a Recycling sign – One bin for COMPOST with a Compost sign, and using CLEAR plastic bags – One bin for LANDFILL/Trash with a Landfill sign, and using BLACK plastic bags • All paper plates & bowls, paper napkins, paper cups, red & white food boats, milk cartons, and all food scraps go in compost • Compost in clear plastic bags is taken to the Compost Dumpster or Green Carts • Bottle/Can Recycling is disposed of in Blue Recycling Carts • Landfill/Trash is disposed of in Trash Dumpster • Your school’s Green Team should establish a schedule of lunchtime monitoring to help students sort properly in the Cafeteria. Classroom & Hallways • Classrooms should have waste stations: – One bin for Paper Recycling with a sign – One bin for Compost with a sign, using small GREEN bags – One bin for Landfill/Trash with a sign – (Ideal) One bin for Bottle/Can Recycling with a sign (if needed in classroom) • Teachers and students should establish classroom jobs for disposing compost & recycling • Green Teams and Custodians will agree on placement of larger carts or bins in central areas or hallways, so students can dispose of classroom compost and recycling more easily, and custodians can empty the central carts. Bathroom • Paper towels can be COMPOSTED – use CLEAR plastic bags for compost bins in bathrooms with Paper Towel Compost Sign • Feminine wastes are disposed of in stalls and collected as Landfill/Trash. Outdoor Yard Areas • Establish at least one Bottle/Can Recycling Bin in yard areas. Service of the outdoor Bottle/Can Recycling depends on the specific school (for example, at BHS Homebase students collect bottles/cans; at King and Washington custodians service the bins). • (Ideal) Establish a multi-sort waste station with Compost (clear bag), Recycling (clear bag), and Landfill (black bag) in areas where students eat at recess, lunch or after school. Get agreement for servicing outdoor waste stations with Principals and Custodians. Ordering Clear, Green, and Black Bags • All types of bags should be requested from Loren Nakamura, lorennakamura@berkeley.net, Plant Operations (510) 644-6858. Service Schedule, Missed Pickups • Take carts to curb on correct days for service. Contact Loren for correct pickup schedules. • If dumpsters or carts are less than half-full on a regular basis, or if there are overflows, contact Loren to discuss options for revising service levels. • Report missed pickups to Loren after 2:30 pm the day of the missed pickup, but no later than 3 pm the next day. If the City cannot access the dumpsters there are charges for extra pickups. Troubleshooting • If dumpsters or carts are broken or need proper stickers, contact Loren Nakamura. • Contamination and improper sorting – Talk to the Principal and the Green Team and ask them to work with the students to do a better job sorting. School Waste Pickup Schedule Contacts Signs Links to page with downloadable PDF and Adobe Illustrator copies of Landfill, Compost, Paper Towel Compost, Mixed Paper, and Bottles signs for labeling waste containers. This video made by Berkeley High students, called "Think Before You Throw," explains why it's important to reduce waste and how to sort properly at school.
We ask Green Team custodians to use this checklist and follow the recommended practices for ordering and using proper bags in trash, compost, and recycling bins and properly disposing of sorted waste.
>>Download the BUSD Waste Management Checklist
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Find out when each type of waste is picked up from your school.
Contact Loren Nakamura for bag orders, pickup schedules, missed pickups, service changes, or proper stickers and labels, or to report broken carts and dumpsters. lorennakamura(at)berkeley(dot)net, Plant Operations (510) 644-6858.
In the event of contamination or improper sorting, talk to the Principal or Green Team teachers and parents and ask them to work with the students to do a better job sorting.