Milledgeville High School: Trash Analysis & Recycling Awareness
- Project Type: Waste Reduction
- Students: 13
- Staff: 2
- Mentor: Hannah Nelson
- Location: Milledgeville, IL
- Grade Level: Grades 10-11
The Project
As a participant in the 2022-23 cohort of the Illinois Green Schools Project, Milledgeville High School engaged in waste reduction activities.
Milledgeville High School does not have a recycling program, so students in the Honors Biology and Ecology classes sorted through classroom garbage from the K-12 classrooms on two different occasions to see what and how much could have been recycled. After the trash analysis, students created informational fliers to show the data from the trash analysis and raise awareness for recycling in the community. Those fliers were posted around school and shared through the district's social media as a way to advocate for the implementation of a recycling program.
The Process
- Janitors collected all trash from all K-12 classrooms and compiled it into large bags.
- The two classes dumped out the garbage and sorted through it. They collected all recyclable plastic, glass, aluminum cans, and paper to be recycled and recorded data on the amounts of each. This was done on two separate days two weeks apart.
- After the two days of collecting data, students were given one class period to create an informational flier with specific requirements. The goals of the flier were to show the results of the analysis and to inform the community about the importance of recycling.
The Results
On the first trash analysis day, 3 out of 5 large bags of trash were sorted. In total, 22 cans, 2 glass bottles, 35 plastic bottles, and a garbage bag of paper were collected. On the second day, 3 more bags were sorted. 18 cans, 3 glass items, 41 plastic bottles, and another garbage can of paper were taken.
Looking forward
Faculty members who led this initiative with the honors Biology and Ecology students hope it will lead to implementing a recycling program at the school.