Recycling Waste Audit – Student
Summary
Recycling Waste Audit Student Worksheet
This recycling waste audit student worksheet guides student teams through a complete school recycling audit, from defining contamination to collecting and analyzing real data. Students begin with a short introduction and reflection questions to build shared understanding of what counts as contamination and why it matters. They then follow a clear, repeatable procedure for daily collection, sorting, weighing, and calculation.
What students do with this worksheet
- Define recycling contamination and identify examples
- Make a prediction about the school’s contamination rate
- Choose team roles such as collector, sorter, and recorder
- Follow safety guidelines for handling waste
- Record daily weights for total bin contents and contaminants
- Calculate contamination percentage using the provided formula
- Complete a weekly summary and analyze trends and common contaminants
- Compare results to benchmark contamination standards
- Write a letter to the principal proposing an action plan to reduce contamination
Make sure you download the Teacher Guide to accompany this lesson.