School Sponsorships & Waste Audits

The Mid Missouri Solid Waste Management District (MMSWMD) is offering free educational waste audits and sponsorship awards of up to $1,000 for school recycling projects in Region H (Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Cole, Cooper, Howard, Moniteau, and Osage). Schools interested in carrying out a waste audit before and after a recycling sponsorship project will be highly rated in regards to securing a sponsorship or a MMSWMD grant.

Waste Audits

A waste audit is a great opportunity for students and staff to learn about the need for a school recycling program or how to improve existing recycling programs.  A waste audit involves keeping refuse from the day before, having students sort refuse into categories of materials, and then weigh the materials. The activity can easily be scaled up or down depending on the interest of the school. The links below will give you idea of how waste audits are conducted in other schools:

Sample Audit Protocol

Here are some basics for the activity:

  • Parent permission granted
  • Refuse from school stored from previous day (excluding cafeteria). Can be scaled down to just refuse from the areas used by one grade level.
  • 1-1.5 hours for 10-20 students
  • 4th-12th grade level

MMSWMD provides all materials and coordinates the scheduling and organization of the activity. If any teacher and/or student is interested is getting a waste audit at your school please contact us – (573) 874-7574 or mmswmd@como.govcreate new email

Sponsorships

  • Up to $1,000 for reduce, reuse, and recycle projects (equipment and/or education)
  • Available to schools, students, teachers, clubs, sports teams, booster organizations, and others.
  • Must speak with MMSWMD staff first
  • Submit letter with: brief description, cost estimate, and justification for cost estimate
  • May request funding up front, that MMSWMD staff make purchases for applicant, or receive award as a reimbursement (preferred).
  • All requests are subject to approval by both the MMSWMD Executive Board and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Solid Waste Management Program (MDNR SWMP).