Trumbull High School fails to comply with State recycling laws

Recycling at Trumbull High School is one of the best steps our school and state are taking to make our world a better place. In every classroom there are two recycling bins: one for white paper and one for bottles. Just by their presence, students should be forced to use them, which, by the amount of Arizona Tea sold at the School Store, is a lot.

However, the school is not as environmentally friendly as previously thought. Thanks to multiple tips from students and teachers, it has been discovered that multiple members of the janitorial staff have not been properly recycling.

In accordance with Section 22a-2088v and Section 256a of the Connecticut General Statutes and Section 22a-241b of Regulations of the Connecticut State Agencies, Connecticut state agencies, like the school systems, are required to recycle about 10 items, most importantly glass and beverage containers and white paper.

Local Trumbull laws are vague on recycling; while a person cannot necessarily be fined for not recycling, garbage haulers who combine recycling and garbage have been fined. According to the Trumbull Public Works web site, a residential hauler was fined $3600 for combining items.

Mr. Bike, head of sanitation, along with Mr. Savo, stressed for school-wide collaboration on the
issue of recycling. “Working together is the best way we can solve this issue, it’s and issue we want to correct,” Mr. Savo said in an interview. Along with acknowledging the issue, Mr. Savo and Mr. Bike, both had ideas on how to correct the issue. “My guys are told paper
is tossed if it has been contaminated by food and they know the bottles should be recycled...They know the system,”

Mr. Savo said he and the administration would address the issue, “The teachers should monitor the bins in the classroom while students continue to recycle and the janitors will continue to do their job,” he proposed.

Writing and Reporting by Brett Rosen, Co-Editor-in-Chief