Since school waste is up to 80% recyclable, schools make a huge impact when they recycle. Recycling is also cheaper than trash disposal, so it helps save the environment AND your budget! Now you have every reason to recycle at school. Download our school recycling pamplet, Go Green and Save PDF , and check out the info below.

What assistance is available for schools in the unincorporated area?

At no cost to you (it's free!), our County staff can help set up a recycling program at your school.  From the infrastructure to the administration to educating the students, we'll guide you along, step by step.  Other ways in which we can help include:

• Performing waste audits
• Determining your waste costs and identifing potential savings
• Creating a school or district recycling plan
• Educating faculty, staff, and administration about the benefits of recycling
• Meeting with PTA and School Board Members
• Providing curriculum-fulfilling education for students through Art From Scrap and the Environmental Education Box
• Supplying recycling containers and outreach materials to classrooms, labs, and offices
• Following up to make sure the program is working
• Answering your questions

What if my school is located in a city?

Sometimes it's confusing to figure out if your school is in the unincorporated part of the county or within a city's jurisdiction. Don't worry, just email us or call (805) 882-3618 to clear things up. Some local cities, such as the City of Santa Barbara and the City of Lompoc, also provide school recycling programs. Click here for a listing of the City Recycling Contacts.

What is a waste audit?

A waste audit identifies strategies to reduce your waste, increase recycling, and save money. County staff can examine what types of materials are being thrown away and identify those that can be recycled. A full audit requires a campus tour and dumpster dive, but a quick version can be done with your waste collection records. Input from custodial and kitchen staff is also helpful.

What are my school's waste disposal costs?

A school's waste disposal costs are determined by how many containers it has and how frequently the containers are collected. Often these costs are paid by the school district and never seen by the school itself. Our County staff can contact your waste hauler and identify these costs for you. You can also access your community's trash rates by visiting the Resource Recovery & Waste Management Division website.

How much can I save by recycling?

In the County's unincorporated area, recycling is on average 36% cheaper than trash collection. Local cities also offer pricing incentives to encourage recycling.

What is a school or district-wide recycling plan?

The plan includes a description of all the actions the County and each individual school or district will perform to achieve a successful recycling program. These actions can include changing the waste collection infrastructure, rearranging the placement of recycling containers, education efforts, and tackling problem waste streams. The plan is tailored to each school's needs and is based upon the types of waste generated.

What education do you provide for students?

For many years, the County has partnered with the local non-profit Art From Scrap (AFS) to provide hands-on education about the benefits of waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting. AFS offers in-class lessons and field trips, all of which are tailored to meet California's curriculum standards. AFS also operates a great Reuse Store located in downtown Santa Barbara.

In the North County, Waste Management offers a mobile "Environmental Education Box" that travels to individual school sites. The traveling trailer is filled with information and activities related to recycling. Students particularly enjoy participating in the beverage can recycling drives to help earn money for their schools.

Both programs are free! Contact AFS or Waste Management to schedule a presentation.

How can we obtain recycling containers and outreach materials?

Not having a place to discard your recyclables can sure hinder a program's success. Take a look at our container page for more information about our indoor containers. A very limited supply of outdoor containers is also available for schools with a demonstrated need.

To help students understand what can and can't be recycled, the County offers posters, stickers, and magnets that identify what goes in the blue recycling containers. We also have numerous booklets and brochures about our individual programs. Take a look at what's available on our Recycling Outreach page.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Tom Chiarodit is the guy you want to talk to about school recycling. Call him directly at (805) 882-3624 or submit a question using our contact form below.