It’s time to close out the school year and begin your classroom cleanout. Organizing and cleaning out your classroom can seem overwhelming and chore-like. It often leads to sending a lot of “stuff” to landfills. However, all of that “stuff” can be recycled through TerraCycle!
Classroom waste is often overlooked. While you might think it’s easier to throw away broken writing instruments, old toys, piles of empty cleaning products, and more, these hard-to-recycle items can actually be recycled through TerraCycle.
We’ve got you covered with a sustainable guide to recycling the hard-to-recycle items found in your classroom. Check out some highlights below!
Keep it organized
Create category collection bins for items in your classroom that you’ll be keeping for the following year, items you’ll be recycling through your curbside recycling program, TerraCycle-bound items, and landfill-bound items (as a last resort).
Give your toys a second chance
Sort out any toys your classroom has aged out of and donate, swap, or sell them. For the toys you can’t donate, recycle them for free with the Hasbro Toy Free Recycling Program. Here is a complete list of accepted Hasbro brands.
You can also recycle any VTech ® and LeapFrog ® electronic learning devices and electronic toys for free.
Deep clean
Take advantage of an empty classroom to clean hard-to-reach surfaces or high-touch areas. Wipe down all surfaces, desks, and even items such as games, toys, and sports equipment found around the classroom. If you’ve gone through a lot of Dial® packaging for handsoap in your classroom, you can recycle caps, pumps, refill packets, and bar packaging through the Dial ® Free Recycling Program.
For everything else
Each classroom is different, and the waste generated throughout the school year can look different from room to room. If you are looking to recycle something not mentioned above — you can recycle a range of hard-to-recycle items:
- Entenmanns’s Little Bites ® Pouch Free Recycling Program
- Solo ® Cup Free Recycling Program
- PepsiCo Recycle Rally
- Swiffer ® Free Recycling Program
Simply create a TerraCycle account, and start recycling.
Inspired to keep on recycling? Check out this blog for similar tips and tricks for recycling at home.
Keep on recycling
Plan ahead for the following school year, and implement the 3 Rs in your classroom; reduce the amount of trash generated, reuse as much as you can and recycle your hard-to-recycle items with TerraCycle’s free programs. Create cool collection bins for TerraCycle-bound items that the whole classroom or entire school can participate in.
And remember, recycling earns money for your school! For each valid shipment you send in, you will earn points that can be redeemed for a donation to your school, favorite non-profit organization, or the charity of your choice. You can sign up for as many programs as you’d like!