The California K-12 Schools Recycling Challenge will run from February 1st through last day of February.

Eligibility:

California K-12 Schools Recycling Challenge is open to all public K-12 schools and districts as well as private and or Charter Schools in California. Colleges, universities and non-academic institutions are not eligible to participate.

How to Participate:

Register: To compete in the California K-12 Schools Recycling Challenge schools must complete the online registration form.

Report Results Weekly: Schools must enter their numbers weekly using the online competition reporting form.  Upon registering, each school is assigned its own Data Entry form.  Forms will be made available when the competition begins.

Below are the requirements the K-12 Recycling Challenge:

1. Participate as a campus or district.

2. Be able to track and report data according to the standards outlined below.

3. Have the official contact person responsible for reporting weights upload supporting documentation such as weight tickets or hauler reports via data form.

4. All winning schools will be accountable to provide requested documentation prior to being awarded.

5. Recycling data will be reported in pounds. Weights will be tracked on a weekly basis (Monday–Sunday) and reported by Friday of the following week. Only recycling generated by the school may be counted. Outside sources such as public drop-off or materials generated in the home are not permitted.

6. Every school must submit either your hauler service agreement showing recycling services are being provided, or weight tickets to verify data inputted for competition. Schools who do not provide either documentation will not be considered for the competition.


The following eight categories of recyclable materials will be included in the California K-12 School Recycling Challenge:

1. Paper:

Boxboard / chipboard (cereal boxes), Catalogs. Hard and softbound books, Junk mail, Magazines, Newspaper, School or office paper (all colors), Books

2. Corrugated Cardboard:

Cardboard boxes

3. California Refund Value (CRV) Plastic & Aluminum Containers:

Includes any of the following liquid, ready-to-drink products in plastic containers you would find on at your school.

4. Scrap Metals

Scrap metal collected from vocational-technical or shop classes.

5. Milk and Juice Cartons:

Milk and Juice Cartons can be collected by volume of 33, 64, or 96 gallon cart. Milk and Juice Cartons may also be added to Composting Material.

6. Food Service Organics:

Pre and post-consumer food waste that is composted, Compostable service ware, napkins, paper plates etc. that are composted.

7. Comingled – Single Stream Mixed Recyclable Materials:

Any of the materials listed under Paper, CRV, Corrugated Cardboard and other materials such as non CRV containers and plastic items labeled 1-7 allowed in your local mixed single stream-recycling containers. Composting is not an allowed item for this category.

8. Total Combined Weight for Individual Schools:

Total weight of all dry recyclable materials and organics combined.

9. Total Combined Weight for School Districts: (Recycling plus compost)

Total weight of all dry recyclable materials and organics combined for a school district.

10. Comingled – Single Stream Mixed Recyclable Materials for District

Entering Competition Materials Data

Actual weights of recyclables should always be used.  If entering information according to volume; weights will be automatically calculated by the form using the conversion factors on the spreadsheet linked below.  Weight tickets can be uploaded using the data submission form.

Commodity Weights

Volume estimates must be based on actual observed quantities. For instance, a three yard dumpster of cardboard must be observed to be full, or a visual determination of how full it is must be made by using

1 – full or increments of .75, .5, & .25 , simply reporting based on capacity of the container without observed quantities is not allowed.

Population

The per capita results for the categories are determined by dividing a school’s weekly recycling weights by its student, staff and faculty population. When you register make sure the use the standardized information for the number of students, staff and faculty to give a total number of people at that location or district. This will be verified prior to presentation of awards with state educational entities.

Awards

Targeted Materials Categories
Highest Per Capita Weights

First Prize = $1,000

Second Prize = $500

Third Prize = $350

Fourth Prize = $250

Fifth Prize = $100

Targeted Materials Categories
Highest Total Weight for Targeted Items

First Prize = $1,000

Second Prize = $500

Third Prize = $350

Fourth Prize = $250

Fifth Prize = $100

School Registration 2026

Complete this form to register for the California K-12 school recycling competition that takes place during the month of February. If your school registered in a previous year you are automatically pre-registered for the coming year and do not need to re-register.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Please enter an 8-12 character password that you would like to assign to your school's data entry page. The password will be needed by any administrator entering data.
Please enter the url for your school or community Facebook page if you have one.
(Example K-5, 6-9, 10-12)
Public, Private, or Charter School?(Required)
Note: this is "COUNTY" not "Country"
Address(Required)
Current Program
If the school has a recycling program, please indicate what materials are currently recycled.
Single Stream?
Are the materials collected as a single stream of mixed recycleables?
Does your school have a food composting program?
Is your school registering for the Co-mingled or Source Separated Competition Division?
Is the public allowed to drop off paper, cans, or bottles for recycling?
This field is hidden when viewing the form

2026 Recycling Data Entry

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Name(Required)

Enter Volume or Weight Tickets for Each Item you are Tracking.

Mixed Paper

Boxboard / chipboard (cereal boxes), Catalogs, Hard and softbound books, Junk mail, Magazines, Newspaper, School or office paper (all colors),Books
Number of 96 Gallon Bins full of Magazines, Books, White, Mixed Paper Recycled
Number of 3 Yard Bins full of Magazines, Books, White, Mixed Paper Recycled. (Enter "0" if none or .25, .5, or .75 for less than a full bin)
Number of 3 Yard Bins full of Magazines, Books, White, Mixed Paper Recycled. (Enter "0" if none or .25, .5, or .75 for less than a full bin)
Number of 3 Yard Bins full of Magazines, Books, White, Mixed Paper Recycled. (Enter "0" if none or .25, .5, or .75 for less than a full bin)
Total Calculated Lbs of Mixed Paper
Max. file size: 512 MB.
Upload a weight ticket or bin photos if available for this item.

Cardboard

Corrugated cardboard boxes
Max. file size: 512 MB.
Upload a weight ticket or bin photos if available for this item.

CRV Beverage Containers

Includes all California CRV beverage containers. Enter number of bins or upload weight ticket for this item.
Max. file size: 512 MB.
Upload a weight ticket or bin photos if available for this item.

Metal Cans

All Tin & Bi-Metal cans collected from food service areas.
Max. file size: 512 MB.
Upload a weight ticket or bin photos if available for this item.

Foam Trays

Schools that utilize EPS food lunch trays that are participating in a take back recycling program with their supplier or who can recycle their EPS food lunch trays in their mixed recyclables can participate in this category.
Enter Stacked Vertical Feet of Polystryrene Lunch Trays Recycled. Example: 24 inches of stacked trays equals two vertical feet so you would enter "2" in the form field.
Max. file size: 512 MB.
Upload a weight ticket or bin photos if available for this item.

Cardboard Lunch Trays

Please enter the number of stacked vertical inches of cardboard lunch trays recycled.
Drop files here or
Max. file size: 512 MB.

    Milk and Juice Cartons

    Milk and Juice Cartons can be collected by volume of 33, 64 or 96 gallon cart. Milk and Juice Cartons may also be added to Composting Material.
    Max. file size: 512 MB.
    Upload a weight ticket or bin photos if available for this item.

    Single Stream Mixed Recyclables

    Any of the materials listed under Paper, CRV, Corrugated Cardboard and other materials such as non CRV containers and plastic items labeled 1-7 allowed in your local mixed single stream-recycling containers. Composting is not an allowed item for this category.
    Max. file size: 512 MB.
    Upload a weight ticket or bin photos if available for this item.

    Composting

    Pre and post-consumer food waste that is composted, Compostable service ware, napkins,paper plates etc. that are composted.
    Max. file size: 512 MB.
    Upload a weight ticket or bin photos if available for this item.

    Event Photo Uploads (Optional)

    Upload photos of your recycling events or results for possible inclusion in the KCB newsletter, websites or social media accounts. By submitting a photo you are granting rights to Keep California Beautiful to use the photo in digital or hard copy publications.
    Accepted file types: jpg, png, pdf, tiff, Max. file size: 512 MB.
    Maximum file size 64MB

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