About the Competition

Goals

• Have a successful, fair, and friendly recycling competition.
• Increase recycling participation by students, staff, and the community.
• Heighten awareness of K-12 school recycling programs.
• Lower waste generated by recycling.
• Organize this event successfully so it can be repeated and possibly expanded to other schools and states in the future. Have fun competing while saving the planet.

Eligibility

Any K-12 school or school district, public or private, located in the state of Ohio can participate in the Ohio School Recycling Challenge.

Two Competition Tracks

To create a level playing field and fair competition for all schools, each school will enter into one of two tracks.

Competition A is open to all schools that limit their recycling activities to the school or school campus.  This would include classrooms, lunchrooms, kitchens, athletic facilities and all school events that occur during the competition dates.

Competition B is open to all schools that invite and encourage businesses and neighbors to drop off recyclable material at the school for recycling in addition to the in-school recycling as described above.

How to Participate

1. Register: To compete in the Ohio School Recycling Challenge, schools must complete the registration form and submit to the Association of Ohio Recyclers.
2. Report Results Weekly: Schools must enter their numbers weekly using the competition reporting form and submit to the Association of Ohio Recyclers.

Measuring and Reporting

Recycling data will be reported in pounds. Weights will be tracked on a weekly basis (Sunday – Saturday) and reported by Wednesday of the following week. The following recyclable materials will be included in the Fall 2011 Ohio School Recycling Challenge:

Paper

• Boxboard / chipboard (cereal boxes)
• Catalogs
• Hard and softbound books
• Junk mail
• Magazines
• Newspaper
• School or office paper(all colors)
• Books

Bottles and Cans

• #1 and #2 plastic bottles (e.g., soda, water, juice, milk bottles)
• Aluminum cans
• Glass bottles and jars
• Steel cans

Corrugated Cardboard

• Cardboard boxes

Mixed Recyclable Materials

• Any of the materials listed under Paper, Bottles and Cans, and Corrugated Cardboard recycling collected in a mixed manner such as single-stream

Organics

• Pre and post-consumer food waste that is composted
• Compostable service ware, napkins, etc. that is composted

Actual weights of recyclables should always be used. If actually weights are impossible to obtain, weight estimates derived from volume measurements may be substituted using the following guidelines:

• Volume-to-weight conversions must be done using the approved conversion factors.
• Volume estimates must be based on actual observed quantities. For instance, a five yard dumpster of cardboard must be observed to be full, or a visual determination of how full it is must be made. Simply reporting based on capacity of the container without observed quantities is not allowed.

Contact us at: help@ohiorecyclingchallenge.com