It’s hard to believe it’s the end of the school year already and we are quickly approaching summer. Whether or not you have school age kids, you may have some school or office supplies you are wondering what to do with.
Remember that reuse always comes before recycling, so any items or materials that are in good condition should be saved for future use or donated.
Folders (paper only, no plastic), notebooks (any spiral bindings should be removed and discarded in the trash), books (any hardcover books should have covers removed and discarded in the trash), and papers (all colors) can be recycled with your household recycling.
For those hard to recycle items that aren’t accepted with your household recycling, there are actually programs that can earn you rewards to recycling.
At Staples you can earn rewards for recycling certain items. These rewards can be used in store or donated to a teacher, classroom, or school. To participate you just need to download the free Staples Connect app. Store employees are happy to assist with getting you set up. See the full list of items that can be recycled here. The list includes some electronics/tech items, including but not limited to phones, tablets, laptops, CD/DVD/Blu-ray discs & players, coffee brewers (less than 40 lb.), and speakers. You can also recycle printer cartridges, batteries (including single-use alkaline!), writing tools (pens, makers, etc.), and phone & tablet cases. For full details about the program, click here.
TerraCycle has resources to make your school a recycling hub. They recycle many materials that you can’t dispose of with your household recycling. They have both paid and free programs. They have resources to help your school get started with a program and offer rewards for participating schools. Click here for all the details.