School District 43 trustees want to know how much it would cost to get schools to recycle more.
Tuesday, board chair Melissa Hyndes asked energy manager Mark Clay to come up with costs for sorting bins for schools to make it easier for staff and students to recycle paper, cans, bottles and other recyclables. Hyndes said she wanted the information for upcoming budget talks because she was inspired by a Port Coquitlam school that is managing to recycle 80% of its waste.
Maple Creek middle school students, led by teacher Dana Asher, told trustees they reduced their garbage from two dumpster pickups twice a week to one dumpster pickup every other week.
The students use a system that sorts cans and bottles and cost $900. Money to pay for the containers came from drink container returns and a small grant but Asher said more schools would do the same if they had money for bins and storage containers - and board support.
"If more schools got on board, it would be beneficial," Asher said.
Her school has 18 bins for sorting garbage and it's one of several schools that gets its organic waste picked up by the city of Port Coquitlam. Kwayhquitlum middle is also composting its waste, Hazel Trembath and Kilmer elementary are getting on board, and next on the list are Central and James Park elementary schools and Terry Fox secondary.
