Sustainability Spotlight: Storage Materials Management at Everett Elementary

Over time, our schools accumulate various materials such as curriculum units, classroom and office supplies, furniture, and toys. When cleaning and organizing these storage spaces, items often move from storage to the landfill. This summer, the Sustainability Team had the opportunity to give new life to some accumulated items in one of our elementary schools.

When the basement at Everett Elementary needed to be cleared out over the summer to make room for a new mechanical room, there was a lot of work to be done! Like many storage spaces, the basement had naturally accumulated piles of things that were no longer being used. In order to avoid sending hundreds of materials to the landfill, the Sustainability Team piloted a clear out procedure so items could be recycled and reused instead. All the materials found were divided into five categories in order to safely and efficiently dispose of the items.

These categories included:

  1. Items labeled as LPS property
  2. Hazardous waste 
  3. Items available for donation
  4. Recycling 
  5. Landfill
Furniture, toys, and other items being donated to Habitat for Humanity.
Furniture, toys, and other items being donated to Habitat for Humanity.
Pile of materials being collected for donation to Goodwill.
Pile of materials being collected for donation to Goodwill.
Children books that will be donated.
Children books that will be donated.
Extra binders that will be collected for reuse.
Extra binders that will be collected for reuse.
Items that are being collected for recycling.
Items that are being collected for recycling.
LPS items that will be return to the Distribution Center as surplus.
LPS items that will be return to the Distribution Center as surplus.
Storage area after clean out.
Storage area after clean out.

Through donation to Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity, Everett was able to divert 4,120 pounds of material from the landfill. The donated items can now be reused and given a second life in the community. In addition to diverting waste through reuse, approximately 500 pounds of materials were recycled.

Following the clean out at Everett, the Sustainability Team created a Storage Materials Management resource. This document walks through step-by-step procedures which ensures materials are appropriately managed. 

LPS continues to be a community leader in waste diversion efforts, and now our efforts have expanded to those items collecting dust in storage rooms. Thanks to our learning experience and support from staff at Everett Elementary, all of our schools can access this simple guide to reusing and recycling storage items.

Updated September 1, 2021