What is the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge?

Teacher’s
Planning Guide

WASTE REDUCTION WEEK IN CANADA
Waste Reduction Week aims to inform and engage
Canadians about the environmental and social ramifications
of wasteful practices. It strives to educate, engage and
empower Canadians to reduce, reuse and recycle waste.
The program’s educational resources and ‘take action’
messaging empower all Canadians to adopt more
environmentally conscious choices. Waste Reduction Week
in Canada further provides information and ideas to reduce
waste in all facets of daily living, creating the solutions to
the many environmental challenges we face including
climate change, water pollution and preservation of natural
resources.
In 2012, the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge will be one of
three key programs in Ontario to support Waste Reduction
Week in Canada.
For more information about Waste Reduction Week in
Canada 2012 and to download additional school resources and visit www.wrwcanada.com
Recycling Council of Ontario
The Waste-Free Lunch Challenge (WFLC) is an initiative of the Recycling Council
of Ontario (RCO)
The Recycling Council of Ontario is a not-for-profit organization committed to
minimizing society's impact on the environment by eliminating waste. RCO's
mission is to inform and educate all members of society about the generation
of waste, the avoidance of waste, the more efficient use of resources and the
benefits and/or consequences of these activities. Since its inception in 1978,
RCO has actively assisted municipalities, corporations, other organizations and
individuals in reducing their waste. For more information about the RCO,
please visit www.rco.on.ca.

Table of Contents
WASTE REDUCTION WEEK IN CANADA ....................................................................................................................... 1
Recycling Council of Ontario ....................................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................... 5
What is the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge? ................................................................................................................. 5
Why should your school participate in the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge? ................................................................ 6
What can your school win? ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Who can participate? .................................................................................................................................................. 7
When is the Challenge taking place? .......................................................................................................................... 7
Important Date........................................................................................................................................................ 7
Activity .................................................................................................................................................................... 7
What is the early bird Deadline? ............................................................................................................................. 7
WHAT IS A WASTE-FREE LUNCH?.................................................................................................................................... 8
1. Nominate who will be in charge of your event ................................................................................................... 9
2. Confirming the date ............................................................................................................................................ 9
3. Registering your classroom/school ..................................................................................................................... 9
4. Conduct your Normal Day Audit ....................................................................................................................... 10
5. Promote your Waste-Free Lunch Challenge ..................................................................................................... 11
COMPLETING THE CHALLENGE ..................................................................................................................................... 13
Which category should I nominate my class/school for? ..................................................................................... 15
How will my Entry be judged? .............................................................................................................................. 15
RESOURCES PROVIDED BY RCO ..................................................................................................................................... 15
WASTE-FREE LUNCH CHALLENGE CONTACTS ............................................................................................................... 16
PRE-CHALLENGE RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................................ 17
Attachment One: Planning Your Event Task List ....................................................................................................... 17
Attachment Two: Sample Letter to Parents ............................................................................................................. 18

Attachment Three: Sample School Newsletter ......................................................................................................... 20
Attachment Four: Sample School Media Release ..................................................................................................... 21
Attachment Five: Sample Announcements .............................................................................................................. 23
Attachment Six: Waste Reduction and Recycling Facts ............................................................................................ 25
Attachment Seven: Useful Web links ........................................................................................................................ 28
Attachment Eight: Sample Web Banner ................................................................................................................... 30
RESOURCES DURING THE CHALLENGE .......................................................................................................................... 31
Attachment Nine: Instructional Videos ..................................................................................................................... 31
Description ............................................................................................................................................................ 32
Lesson Objectives .................................................................................................................................................. 32
Curriculum Connections ........................................................................................................................................ 32
Materials Needed .................................................................................................................................................. 34
Time Required ....................................................................................................................................................... 34
School Specific Considerations .............................................................................................................................. 35
Waste Audit Steps ................................................................................................................................................. 35
Assessment ........................................................................................................................................................... 35
Safety and Approval .............................................................................................................................................. 36
Attachment 11: Waste Audit Instructions- Classroom Activities .............................................................................. 38
Attachment 12: Waste Audit Instructions Whole School ......................................................................................... 40
Attachment 13: Fun activities to go with a waste audit ........................................................................................... 42
Track your garbage - optional ............................................................................................................................... 42
Pledge your commitment - optional ..................................................................................................................... 42
Tote-your-own-trash - optional ............................................................................................................................ 42
Attachment 14: Waste Audit Tool (EXCEL version available online) ........................................................................ 43
Attachment 15: Sample Weights of Common Lunch Items ...................................................................................... 46
Attachment 16: Final Submission Questions ............................................................................................................ 49

INTRODUCTION
This guide was developed to assist schools in planning Waste-Free Lunch Challenge activities. It is
recommended that you familiarize yourself with each section and keep the guide on-hand should you
need more detailed information.
What is the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge?
The Waste-Free Lunch Challenge is a school program developed by the Recycling Council of Ontario.
The goal of the program is to help schools decrease the amount of garbage they produce and to
educate students, staff and parents about waste reduction. School lunches are a major source of waste
in Ontario. The average student’s lunch generates a total of 30 kilograms of waste per school year, or
an average elementary school generates 8500 kilograms (18,700 lbs) of waste per year.
There are two features of the program:
1. The challenge itself, where students commit to bringing a waste-free lunch every day during Waste
Reduction Week (15th -19th October, 2012), and
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2. A competition where classrooms/schools who register for the program, monitor the waste
produced from their lunches on a normal day (prior to the Challenge) and then again each day
during the week-long Waste-Free Lunch Challenge. To enter the competition, classrooms/schools
are asked to submit a final entry form with their results and a brief summary of their experience.
Prizes will be awarded to classrooms/schools with significant changes in the amount of garbage
sent to landfill and those who make a contribution to improving waste management practices
across the whole school.
Why a whole week?
Children and youth are becoming increasingly aware of
waste management issues. To ensure the competition is a
true challenge, we believe students should attempt to go
waste-free for the entire week. The program requires only
two waste audits: one before and one during the Waste-
Free Lunch Challenge.

Why should your school participate in the Waste-Free Lunch
Challenge?
The Waste-Free Lunch Challenge is an easy way to inspire your students and school community to
implement the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The program also provides opportunities to:
1. Achieve learning outcomes in subject areas including Mathematics, Science and Technology and
Social Studies;
2. Connect with your local community by involving parents, guardians and community groups in
WFLC activities;
3. Increased awareness of packaging and waste reduction
opportunities in your school;
4. Reduce waste generation from school lunches and take a step
towards long term cost-savings for waste management;
5. Beautify your school by reducing litter;
6. Be part of an Ontario-wide environmental initiative and make
waste reduction a ‘skill for life’, and
7. A chance to win $1,000 for your school environmental projects
and additional prizes for participating students (Now open to all
Ontario elementary schools).
Win $1,000
for your
school!
6
What can your school win?
Prizes will be awarded to the 12 Top classrooms/schools that are the most successful in reducing the
amount of waste generated from their school lunches. Cash prizes will be awarded to
classrooms/schools in the following categories:
• Waste-Free Lunch Stars : Grand Prize ($1000.00), 5 Honourable Mentions ($100.00 each)
• Waste-Free Lunch Leaders : One Grand Prize ($1000.00), 5 Honourable Mentions ($100.00
each)
Schools will self-categorize based on their current waste reduction policies and practices. Participating
students/classrooms/schools that submit a final entry form in the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge will be
eligible for prizes that will support their waste reduction efforts.

Who can participate?
All schools (elementary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions) are welcome to register and
participate. Schools outside of Ontario are encouraged to registered and submit their waste reduction
results. Only Ontario elementary schools (jk-8) are eligible to win prizes.
When is the Challenge taking place?
The Waste-Free Lunch Challenge will be happening from October 15-19, 2012 as part of Waste Reduction Week
in Canada. Here are the key dates for your agenda:
Important Date
August 27, 2012
October 12, 2012 (11:59pm)
October 12, 2012
October 15 - 19, 2012
November 2, 2012 (11:59pm)
November 9, 2012 (11:59pm)
December 5, 2012
Activity
Classroom/School registrations open
Registrations close
Normal Day Waste Audit
Waste-Free Lunch Challenge
Early Bird Deadline for WFLC
Entries Close (Final Deadline for submission)
Winners and Results to be announced on or after this date
7
What is the early bird Deadline?
The early bird deadline is one week earlier than the final deadline to submit your WFLC results. Classrooms or
schools that submit their results by the Early Bird Deadline will be entered in a draw. The winning school will
win a MAC Laptop!

WHAT IS A WASTE-FREE LUNCH?
A waste-free lunch (sometimes called litter-less, smart, garbage-less or waste-not lunch) contains no
throwaway packaging. Food and drinks are packed in reusable containers within a reusable lunch bag
or box. All containers are resealable so that leftover food and drink can be consumed (or composted)
later. Below are some tips for a waste-free lunch.
Yes please
REUSABLE lunch carrier
REUSABLE container (Tupperware, plastic)
REUSABLE drink bottle or thermos
CLOTH NAPKIN to wash and re-use
CUTLERY/SILVERWARE to wash and re-use
HEALTHY snacks
Please avoid
AVOID paper or plastic bags
AVOID plastic wrap, foil, wax, or Styrofoam
AVOID single-use containers
AVOID paper napkins
AVOID plastic forks/spoons
AVOID over-packaged snacks
8
More information about waste-free lunches, recycling and waste reduction is available online.
Instructional videos that explain how to shop and pack a waste-free lunch are available at
www.wastefreelunch.com/videos. A fridge packaging reminder can be found online.

GETTING STARTED – BEFORE THE CHALLENGE
1. Nominate who will be in charge of your event
You may choose to select a teacher(s) and/or principal to be the coordinators for the Waste-Free
Lunch Challenge in your school. This coordinating group may meet briefly in the lead up to the Waste-
Free Lunch Challenge to plan and promote the event. This may include making sure that letters to
parents are sent out (page 18), newsletter (page 20), PA announcements (page 23) are made and a
press release is sent to the local news.
Make sure you tell everyone what you hope to accomplish with your Waste-Free Lunch event. Include
all staff and students in the design of the program and make sure the instructions are clear. Once it is
up and running, provide regular updates on your success. A Waste-Free Lunch Challenge Planning List
is available on page 17 and online. Feel free alter the tasks according to your needs.
2. Confirming the date
The Waste-Free Lunch Challenge will be happening from 15th to 19th October, 2012 as part of Waste
Reduction Week in Canada.
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However, we understand that this week may not suit every school because of prior commitments such
as sporting events or field trips. If this is the case, please register your classroom/school and conduct
the challenge during a week where as many students can get involved as is possible. Whenever you
hold your Waste-Free Lunch Challenge, you will still need to register your classroom/school and submit
your final entry form before November 9, 2012 to be part of the Ontario-wide event. (Early bird
deadline for submitting your results is November 2, 2012.)
3. Registering your classroom/school
Register your class or school at www.wastefreelunch.com. We do not accept registration by mail or
fax. First, you will select classroom or whole school registration. All you need is the district school
board name, school name, principal, classroom grade and teacher contact details. Fill in and submit
this information. You will receive an email confirmation the following business day. If you do not
receive this confirmation, please check your junk mail. For problems, please email: wflc@rco.on.ca.

As program resources are limited, only
Ontario elementary schools (jk-8) will be
eligible to win prizes. All schools are
welcome to participate (see page 7). The
deadline for registration is Friday October
12, 2012.
Did you know that you can receive up to
five bonus points on your final
submission by telling other elementary
teachers about the Waste-Free Lunch
Challenge? Spread the word at:
http://www.wastefreelunch.com/sprea
d-the-word
Once you have registered, you can download
each of the teacher resources and tools to
help you host your Waste-Free Lunch
Challenge. Your registration will enable us to
keep a record of your participation and
reward those outstanding
classrooms/schools who submit winning entries upon completion of the Challenge.
4. Conduct your Normal Day Audit
A waste audit provides you with a better understanding of your school’s current waste management
practises. By examining a sample of lunch waste on a normal day, the overall waste produced by your
students’ lunches can be estimated. The waste audit will tell you not only the type, quantity, or origin
of waste produced but also the management policies and procedures that affect waste generation.
10
The waste audit will be repeated during the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge to determine whether there
has been a reduction in the amount of lunch waste produced in your classroom/school.
Classrooms/schools that do not currently have a recycling or organic collection service are also eligible
to enter the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge. Simply complete the audit exercise and record your results
as if there are recycling and organic waste collections available. This will enable your classroom/school
final entry to be judged fairly with others.
Some schools have a ‘boomerang’ lunch program by which some or all partially eaten food, recycling,
and waste material is returned home and is not placed in the school’s waste collection. Boomerang
lunch programs can participate in the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge. On the date of your audits,
students should continue to bring untouched food home. Any recycling, garbage or partially touched
food that is typically boomeranged home should be included in the waste audit. This will ensure that
school results are judged fairly.
To start, select a day to conduct your “Normal Day” waste audit in advance of Waste-Free Lunch
Challenge. Consider making the audit a surprise, so student pack a normal lunch. Ensure that you

have all the necessary materials and you are comfortable with the waste audit steps. The following
steps are recommended to complete your normal day audit:
1. Just before the lunch or nutrition break, ask your class to make sure they place any throwaway
items into a single bag or container that is separate from other bins used in the school. This
bag/container will be used to audit student lunch waste later on in the day. Reusable lunch
bags or lunch boxes shouldn’t be placed in this bag/container as they will be returned home for
washing and reusing.
2. Follow the WFLC Lesson Plan (page 32) after lunch to measure how much waste was produced
by students in your classroom/school. Remember to record the number of participating
students on your worksheet. Keep the worksheets on hand for submitting your final entry later
on.
3. Optional - Take photographs of your Waste-Free Lunch activities to record and promote your
success. Group photographs of your class/school with their waste-free lunches, the waste audit
lesson and any displays or posters in the classroom or foyer may be useful for school
newsletters, annual reports or local news media.
After you have completed the normal day waste
audit, discuss the importance of waste minimization
and how to pack a waste-free lunch. There are lots
of great resources available between page 17 and 49.
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5. Promote your Waste-Free Lunch
Challenge
Once you have conducted your normal day waste
audit, it will be important to spread the word and let
everyone know about the Waste-Free Lunch
Challenge. Here are some suggestions for promoting
your event as part of the Waste-Free Lunch
Challenge. All resources are available as attachments
in this document. Many of these resources are
available in MS WORD at www.wastefreelunch.com.
• Use the sample newsletter resource (page 20) to
put a notice in the school newsletter advertising
the date and asking for support from parents.
• Submit a press release (page 21) to local news

stations, letting the local community know about your school’s participation in the Waste-Free
Lunch Challenge.
• Use the sample letter to parents (page 18) to send a letter home before the Challenge notifying
parents about the event. This letter includes information about waste-free lunches and how they
can support the program.
• Put up a poster (page 54) on the school noticeboard where parents will notice it when visiting the
school.
• Make announcements (page 23) leading up to the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge to let staff and
students know the dates and serve as a reminder for them to bring waste-free lunches all week.
• Set-up a demonstration table with examples of waste-free lunch “do’s and “don’ts”. Provide an
opportunity for students to make suggestions about ways to make waste-free lunches.
12

COMPLETING THE CHALLENGE
During the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge week, your classroom or
school will try to go waste-free for the entire week. Please note
that conducting two waste audits (1 before the challenge and 1
during the challenge) are the only compulsory activities for
classrooms/schools entering the Challenge. As a result, schools
can either plan the date for the second waste audit or make it a
surprise. Students try to go waste-free all week long.
Classrooms or schools can conduct visual scans to engage
students in the monitoring process. To conduct a visual scan,
simply layout all bags of material, ask your students to observe
and assess their contents. On the day of your “waste-free”
Tip: If your school
produces very small
amounts of waste, use
the resource page 46
to tally your results.
audit, you will follow the same steps as you did in the normal day audit. Waste audit steps can be
found on page 38 (classroom audit) and page 40 (school audit). As with the normal day audit, you may
want to take photos of your students.
Optional - You may also like to hold your own in-school contest to see which classroom generates the
least amount of garbage or which class had the most students participating. A student certificate is
available on page 55.
13
Analyzing the results
As part of the competition, complete the waste audit on a normal day and then each day during the week-long
Challenge. To analyze results:
1. Download the Waste Audit Worksheet Tool from the Teachers Resources page of the WFLC website.
2. Enter your results into the appropriate sheets and follow the detailed instruction on page 43.

AFTER THE CHALLENGE –
SUBMITTING YOUR FINAL ENTRY FORM
The Recycling Council of Ontario will begin accepting final submissions on October 22, 2012. Once you have
completed your Waste-Free Lunch Challenge, it is time to let us know how it went!
There are four easy steps to submitting your classroom/school entry:
1. Collect your Waste Audit Worksheets and ask your school Principal to give permission for your
entry to be reproduced by the Recycling Council of Ontario. This will allow us to promote
outstanding schools in future years.
2. Go to the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge website homepage (www.wastefreelunch.com) and click on
the SUBMIT YOUR RESULTS button.
3. Complete all sections of the final entry form.
Any responses over the word count will be cut off
and any additional text will not be sent to the RCO
for assessment. If you are interested in the
viewing the final submission questions, they are
available on page 49. Please note: there is no
option to save your electronic submission.
4. Submit your final results on the Waste-Free
Lunch Challenge website by Friday November 9,
2012 at 11:59pm. (Note: There will be NO staff
available to assist you after 4:30pm on
To ensure that you do not lose your
work, RCO recommends you prepare
your written responses in a word
document, then transcribe your
results and answers into the online
submission form.
November 9, 2012. If you have any troubles submitting your final entry form, please email:
wflc@rco.on.ca.) Please note, the early bird submission deadline is November 2, 2012 (see page 7
for more details on the early bird submission deadline).
14
Judging will take place between November 12 and December 5 2012. Winners will be announced after
December 5, 2012.
Now that your students are experts on waste reduction, why not consider having a waste-free lunch
once per week, such as ‘Waste-Free Wednesday’? If your school is really committed to waste reduction
you may consider having waste-free lunches every day!

Which category should I nominate my class/school for?
The final entry form asks you to nominate your class as a Beginner or as Advanced. The following
descriptions will help you to select the appropriate category.
• Beginner – First time the class and/or school has participated in waste-free lunch activities
• Advanced – Classroom/school actively supports waste-free or boomerang lunches on a regular
basis (e.g. as part of school eco-plan or environmental policy); previous Waste-Free Lunch
Challenge participant.
How will my Entry be judged?
Judging will be conducted by a panel selected by the Recycling Council of Ontario and will be based
upon the following criteria:
a. Waste Reduction Performance - Change in lunch waste as a result of the Challenge;
b. Commitment - How the class/school promoted the WFLC and level of participation;
c. Sustainability of the waste-free lunch challenge - How the class and/or school will maintain their
success through ongoing waste reduction activities around school lunches, and
d. Advanced category (existing low/zero waste schools) - How the class/school promotes waste
reduction and other environmentally sustainable practices in their local community.
The judges’ decision is final and no late submissions will be considered.
15
RESOURCES PROVIDED BY RCO
The resources mentioned throughout this guide are available as attachments to this document.
Certain documents are also available in MS WORD or EXCEL format at www.wastefreelunch.com.
Attachment
Number
Name of Resource Page number(s) Available in Word/Excel
(www.wastefreelunch.com)
1 Planning Your Event Task
List
17 Yes
2 Sample Letter to Parents 18-19 Yes
3 Sample School Newsletter 20 Yes

4 Sample School Media
21-22 Yes
Release
5 Sample Announcements 23-24 No
6 Waste Reduction and
25-27 No
Recycling Facts
7 Useful Web links 28-29 No
8 Sample Web Banner 30 Yes
9 Instructional Videos 31 Yes
10 WFLC Lesson Plan 32-37 No
11 Waste Audit Instructions-
38-39 No
Classroom Activities
12 Waste Audit Instructions
40-41 No
Whole School
13 Fun activities to go with a
42 No
waste audit
14 Waste Audit Tool 43-45 Yes
15 Sample Weights of
46-48 No
Common Lunch Items
16 Final Submission Questions 49-50 No
16
17 Waste Audit Worksheets
51-53 No
(Printable version)
18 Poster 54 Yes
19 Student Certificate 55 No
WASTE-FREE LUNCH CHALLENGE CONTACTS
For further information about the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge please contact:
Recycling Council of Ontario
Phone: (416) 657 2797 extension 5
Email: wflc@rco.on.ca
Website: www.wastefreelunch.com
Address: 215 Spadina Ave, Suite 225
Toronto, ON, M5T 2C7

PRE-CHALLENGE RESOURCES
Attachment One: Planning Your Event Task List
The following tasks have been developed to assist Waste-Free Lunch Challenge planning. Insert or delete tasks
as appropriate along with who is responsible and when the task is due. (WORD version available online)
Task Responsibility Deadline Comments
1 Select Coordinator(s)
2 Confirm the date
3 Register the classroom/school
4 Put a notice in the school newsletter
5 Send out press release to local news
6 Put up a poster on the school
noticeboard
7 Set up a demonstration table
8 Schedule announcements
17
9 Conduct Normal Day Waste Audit
10 Send letters home to parents about the
WFLC
11 Complete daily Waste Audits scans and
complete 1 waste audit during WLFC
12 Use Waste Audit Tool to calculate final
results
13 Complete Entry Form
14 Submit Entry Form by November 2 nd
(Early Bird Deadline) or November 9
(Final deadline)

Attachment Two: Sample Letter to Parents
The following is a sample letter to parents. If you would like to make modifications to the document, the WORD
version can be found at: http://www.wastefreelunch.com/teachers-resources.
Dear Parent/Guardian:
WASTE-FREE LUNCH WEEK
In an effort to engage students in small environmental initiatives that can have a big impact, our class is
participating in the week-long Waste-Free Lunch Challenge (WFLC) beginning on _____________________.
The WFLC is a province-wide initiative sponsored by the Recycling Council of Ontario. School lunches are a
major source of waste in Ontario – the average student’s lunch generates a total of 30 kilograms of waste per
school year, or an average of 8500 kilograms of waste per school per year.
Please help your child pack waste-free lunches for our event. The goal of the week is to:
Celebrate and learn about Waste Reduction Week by reducing the amount of waste we create from
school lunches
Reduce the cost of waste disposal so the school’s resources can be put to better use.
Encourage healthy and nutritious lunches (many pre-packaged lunch items contain significant amounts of
sodium, preservatives and fat)
Create awareness around recycling and encourage and promote recycling of containers such as juice
boxes, milk cartons, bottles and cans at schools
Help you as a parent reduce the cost of lunches (a waste-free lunch can cost as little as $2.50 per day,
whereas a regular lunch containing pre-packaged items can cost $4.50 or more per day)
18
Participating classrooms will be eligible to win $1000 for their school’s environmental projects. Parents and
Guardians are invited to visit the WFLC website at www.wastefreelunch.com to download parent resources and
to watch instructional videos about how to shop for and pack a waste-free lunch and for other resources.
Please see the back of this note for more tips on creating waste-free lunches. We look forward to your support
and hope you will consider packing waste-free lunches on a regular basis following the Waste-Free Lunch
Challenge.
Sincerely,
____________________
[e.g. Principal or Classroom Teacher]

WASTE-FREE LUNCH TIPS
• Get children to help pack their lunches with healthy foods.
• Only pack as much food as your child will eat.
• Use a reusable lunch bag/box for carrying a lunch.
• Use a refillable bottle for drinks – it’s cheaper and children
can save drinks for later.
• If you choose to use a single-serving container, please make
sure it is recyclable in your child’s school.
• Put sandwiches, muffins, etc. in ‘Tupperware’-style containers, instead of plastic bags. Label
all containers with your child’s name so they have a better chance of coming home.
• Avoid pre-packaged, single-serve portions of snacks.
• Put re-usable napkins in your child’s lunch box.
• Prepare extra food at dinnertime and use the leftovers for lunches. Minimize the morning
rush by packing lunches the night before and refrigerating overnight.
19
Yes please
REUSABLE lunch container
REUSABLE container (Tupperware, plastic)
REUSABLE drink bottle or thermos
CLOTH NAPKIN to wash and re-use
CUTLERY/SILVERWARE to wash and re-use
HEALTHY snacks!
Please avoid
AVOID paper or plastic bags
AVOID plastic wrap, foil, wax, or styrofoam
AVOID single-use containers
AVOID paper napkins
AVOID plastic forks/spoons
AVOID over-packaged snacks

Attachment Three: Sample School Newsletter
If you would like to make modifications to the document, the WORD version can be found at:
http://www.wastefreelunch.com/teachers-resources.
20

Attachment Four: Sample School Media Release
The following is a sample media release that can be sent to your local media (local newspapers, radio and TV
stations). If you would like to make modifications to the document, the WORD version can be found at:
http://www.wastefreelunch.com/teachers-resources.
Local students accept RCO challenge and go waste-free!
Recycling Elementary School [INSERT SCHOOL NAME] announces their participation in the 2012
Waste-Free Lunch Challenge
Ottawa [CITY] - October 15 th , 2012: For some, the concept of sorting and weighing lunch waste might
seem like a sticky, smelly nuisance. Not so for the 100 [Number of participants] students at Recycling
Elementary School [SCHOOL NAME] that are participating in the Recycling Council of Ontario’s
Waste-Free Lunch Challenge as part of Waste Reduction Week in Canada (October 15 to 19, 2012).
These students have embraced environmentalism wholeheartedly and proven that waste minimization
is as easy as reduce, reuse, recycle!
21
A major source of waste in Ontario, the average elementary school student’s lunch generates 30
kilograms of waste per school year. For the entire week, Recycling Elementary School [SCHOOL
NAME] students are committing to bringing a waste-free lunch (lunches contain reusable, refillable and
recyclable containers). During the challenge, the school will sort, weigh and record their lunchtime
waste generation! Recycling Elementary School [SCHOOL NAME] is competing for grand prizes that
include $1000 for the school’s environmental projects.
Designed to help schools reduce the amount of garbage they generate from lunches, the Waste-Free
Lunch Challenge educates students, staff and parents about waste and its impacts. Jane Reuse
[PRINCIPAL NAME], Principal of Recycling Elementary School [SCHOOL NAME] is pleased to be
joining the 2012 Waste-Free Lunch Challenge. “The Waste-Free Lunch Challenge is a great
opportunity to kick-start Recycling Elementary School [SCHOOL NAME]‘s environmental program all
year long. We are proud to be involved in the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge”. Principal Reuse
[PRINCIPAL’S LAST NAME] explains.
The Waste-Free Lunch Challenge is a program of the Recycling Council of Ontario. For more
information, please visit www.wastefreelunch.com.

About Recycling Elementary School [SCHOOL NAME]
Recycling Elementary School [SCHOOL NAME] is located in Ottawa [CITY], Ontario and is part of the
Reduce District School Board [SCHOOL BOARD NAME]. 100 [NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS]
students from grades 2 [LOWEST GRADE] to 5 [Highest Grade] will be participating in the 2012 Waste-
Free Lunch Challenge. For the past 3 [NUMBER OF YEARS] years, Recycling Elementary School
[SCHOOL NAME] has been recognized as an Ontario EcoSchool [AND/OR OTHER
ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS]. We actively participate in the Earth Hour, Canadian
Shoreline Clean-up and Walk to School Week [SCHOOL ACTIVITIES].
About The Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO)
The Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) Waste-Free Lunch Challenge aims to support
educators and students to reduce waste generated from school lunches. The Recycling
Council of Ontario (RCO) is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization committed to
minimizing society's impact on the environment by eliminating waste. RCO's mission is to
inform and educate all members of society about the avoidance of waste, efficient use of
resources, and the benefits and/or consequences of these activities. Since its inception in
1978, RCO has actively assisted municipalities, corporations, other organizations and
individuals in reducing waste.
22

Attachment Five: Sample Announcements
These sample announcements may need to be modified according to your school’s Waste-Free lunch events.
Waste Fact of the Day
Date
Read
Hey did you know that Waste-Free Lunch week is coming? On ___________ (insert date), we will be
participating in the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge when students from schools across Ontario are
bringing lunches to school that don’t make garbage.
How will we do it?
• We will start by packing our food in reusable containers like old margarine tubs rather than a plastic
bag.
• We will fill up a reusable bottle with our drink
• We will bring our own spoon and fork to eat it with.
After lunch, all the cutlery, bottles, and containers go back in our bags and nothing goes in the garbage
at all. Let’s always remember the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
23
In North America, we make enough garbage every day to fill 70,000 garbage trucks. Lined up bumper
to bumper, over a year, they would stretch halfway to the moon!
Did you know that one student taking a disposable lunch to school creates a total of 30 kilograms of
lunch waste every year?
For elementary: That is about how much a grade two student weighs.
Did you know that if juice boxes, pop cans or paper or any other recyclable items are in the garbage
can, they go to the landfill? Nobody is sorting for you – make sure your recyclable stuff makes it to the
blue box!
Any idea what juice boxes and milk cartons become after being recycled? Tissue products!
Have you looked in your garbage can lately? The packaging that your food comes in makes up about
30% of our garbage. Choose foods with as little packaging as possible, like bulk foods. Fruits and
vegetables come in their own packages which you can eat up or compost.
Recycle a pop can and save electricity?! That’s right! By recycling one pop can, you save enough
electricity to keep a TV on for three hours.

Want to save a tree? Recycle paper… one tonne of recycled paper keeps 17 trees from being cut down.
Hey, did you know that food waste that is composted is ready to be soil in about six months?
Composting makes sense!
Ever wonder what happens to that plastic bottle you recycle? Recycled plastic is everywhere. Your
fleece is recycled pop bottles, so is your plastic baseball hat. Recycled plastic is also found in lots of
toys, park benches, and even garbage cans.
Did you know that you might be playing on an old tire today? Recycled tires are being turned into
floors in gyms and playground mats found under climbers.
Making new products from recycled metal makes a lot of sense. Recycled metal is ready to be re-made
into something else, nobody has to mine it out of the ground, and so it uses a lot less energy.
By recycling juice and milk cartons every day, the average school prevents 2.2 large bags of trash from
going to landfills. That’s about 11 bags every week, 44 every month, and 391 per year! (2010, Carton
Council US School Guide prepared by Environmental Impact Initiative)
Eco-Tip of the Day
Refuse plastic bags! Bring your own bag to the store and help your parents to remember to bring a bag
when they shop.
24
Why take two when one will do? Make sure you only take one paper towel to dry your hands: there’s
no need to waste trees!
Use scrap paper that’s only been used on one side to doodle, figure out math problems, draw, or write
rough copies of assignments.
Plastic containers can be reused over and over again. Fill up a container with a snack rather than
wrapping it in plastic wrap.
Things like cleaners, insect sprays, paint, batteries, motor oil, and old medicines should not go in the
regular garbage. They should be taken separately to your local municipality’s Household Hazardous
Waste Drop-Off Centre.
When you shop with your mum or dad, look for products that can be recycled—or have been recycled
already! Read the label and look for the recycle symbol.
Eco-Challenges
How many ways could you use a drink box again when you are done drinking from it?
Can you figure out how to make a lunch that includes all your favourite foods and that leaves no
garbage at the end? (Fruit and vegetable peels are OK!)
How many delicious snacks can you think of that don’t make garbage? (Fruit and vegetable peels are
OK!)
Thanks to Upper Grand District School Board and Ontario EcoSchools for use of their resources.

Attachment Six: Waste Reduction and Recycling Facts
The following facts and statistics may be useful for lesson plans, posters, or school announcements.
Facts and Stats: on Waste
By the age of 6 months, the average Canadian has consumed the same amount of resources as the average
person in the developing world consumes in a lifetime.
(Recycling Council of Ontario)
In a lifetime, the average North American will throw away 600 times his or her adult weight in garbage. A 68 kg
adult will leave a legacy of 40,825 kg of trash. (Natural Resources Canada)
Plastic products contribute 7% by weight and 30% by volume to municipal solid waste. (Recycling Council of
Ontario)
Across Canada it costs more than $1.5 billion per year to dispose of garbage. (Destination Conservation)
10 plastic soft drink bottles are required to make the fiberfill for one ski jacket. (Greater Vancouver Regional
District: Just the Facts)
Presently, 80% of municipal and industrial solid waste in Canada is disposed of by landfilling processes, with
the remainder disposed through recycling, resource recovery and incineration. (Government of Canada)
Landfills sites account for about 38% of Canada's total methane emissions. (Environment Canada)
The presence of humans in a variety of ecosystems is normal and expected. We, like plants and animals, need
food, water and shelter. Our goal should be to do this in a way that ensures our habitats are maintained for
future generations. (Parks Canada)
About 1/3 of our waste is paper and paperboard. Another third is yard and kitchen waste. The rest is divided
among glass, metals, plastics, textiles, wood and other materials. (Environment Canada)
There are well over 10,000 landfill sites in Canada. (Environment Canada)
One pound of newspaper can be recycled to make 6 cereal boxes, 6 egg cartons or 2,000 sheets of writing
paper. (Recycling Council of Ontario)
Recycling one ton of glass saves about nine gallons of fuel oil. (Recycling Council of Ontario)
In three years, an average US elementary school can recycle over 203,000 cartons, which would save over
4,470 pounds (2,027.55 kg) of paper and 38 trees. Recycling those 203,000 cartons would also keep 1,068 full
trash bags out of landfill. Combined, all the elementary schools in the US could recycle 4.8 billion milk and juice
cartons in one year. Stacked end to end, these cartons would circle the entire earth 12.6 times. (Carton
Council US School Guide prepared by Environmental Impact Initiative, 2010)
The automobile is the most recycled consumer product in the world today. It takes about 45 seconds to shred
the average automobile into fist-sized pieces for recycling. (Clean Air Foundation)
The first PET (plastic) bottle was recycled in 1977. (The National Association of PET Container Resources)
A 600-watt photocopier left on standby for 24 hours a day uses about $750 of electricity in a year. If this
machine is turned on only during normal working hours, two thirds of this electricity will be saved. (New
Zealand Ministry for the Environment)
25

Water is a limited resource that we need to use wisely. Only 1% of the world's water supply is usable, 97% is
ocean and 2% is ice frozen at the poles. (Environment Canada)
Nearly 55% of every aluminium can is made from recycled aluminium. (American Recycler)
Recycling one tonne of newspaper saves 19 trees, 3 cubic metres of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatt hours of
energy, 29,000 litres of water and 30 kgs of air pollution. (Recycling Council of Ontario)
25% of the energy used to manufacture cardboard is saved when the cardboard is recycled. (The Eco-Efficiency
Centre)
Facts and Stats: on Recycling
Courtesy of Raven Recycling Society, 100 Galena Road, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 2W6
Paper
• Manufacturing recycled paper produces 74% less air pollution and 35% less water pollution, as well as
using 58% less water and 64% less energy than making paper from virgin wood pulp
• 42% of material we (Whitehorse) throw in our landfill each year is wood or wood products
• 1 edition of the Sunday New York Times consumes about 75,000 trees
• 1 tonne of recycled paper saves 3700 pounds of lumber and 24,000 gallons of water
• Making one tonne of recycled paper uses only about 60% of the energy needed to make a tonne of virgin
paper
Energy
26
• Recycling aluminum (the highest theoretical potential for saving energy) saves 95%.
• Recycling glass -- energy savings of 33%
• Recycling paper -- energy savings of 64%
• Energy savings per tonne of finished plastic bottles is enough to fill a 20-gallon gas tank every
week for ten years
• Recycling a glass jar saves enough energy to light a bulb for four hours
• Recycling old corrugated cardboard cuts sulfur dioxide emissions in half and saves 1/4 of the
energy used to manufacture it
• By recycling one tonne of paper you save:
- 17 trees
- 6953 gallons of water
- 463 gallons of oil
- 583 pounds of air pollution
• It takes 95% less energy to produce new aluminum from discarded aluminum pop cans than from
raw materials
• Recycling one aluminum can saves the amount of energy to light one 100 watt bulb for 20 hours
or run a TV for 3 hours
Glass
• Making glass from recycled materials cuts related air pollution 20% and water pollution 50%

Plastics/Aluminum
• Recycling plastics and aluminum uses only 5% to 10% as much energy as making new plastic or smelting
aluminum
• Recycling a tonne of PET containers saves 7.4 cubic yards of landfill space
• 5 PET bottles yield enough fiber for an XL T-shirt
Organics
• Canadians produce approximately 7 million tonnes of organic waste each year
• 2/3 of our household waste can be composted
Miscellaneous
• 5 billion drink boxes are thrown away each year in North America
• North America has 8% of the world's population, consumes 1/3 of the world's resources and produces
almost half of the world's non-organic garbage
• 70% of landfilled waste could be either reused or recycled
• 1 litre of oil can contaminate a million litres of ground water
• In North America, approximately 20% of our paper, plastic, glass and metal goods are currently made from
recycled material. Experts believe that 50% could be easily achieved
Packaging
• Approximately 35% of municipal solid waste is packaging
• In the U.S., 5.6% of all steel, 50% of all paper, 65-70% of all glass, 25-30% of all aluminium, and 23.5% of all
plastics produced are used for packaging
• $1 out of every $10 spent on food goes into packaging
Pollution
Recycling all of your home's waste newsprint, cardboard, glass and metal can reduce carbon dioxide emissions
by about 400 kgs a year (Earth Care)
27

Attachment Seven: Useful Web links
Curriculum Connections:
This is an extremely helpful resource created by the Ministry of Education. It outlines in detail how to connect
environmental topics to all areas of the curriculum between JK-8. The provided link is the 2011 Edition. The
Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8: Environmental Education: Scope and Sequences of Expectations:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/environ18curr.pdf
This resource is organized around “big ideas” that identify clusters of learning expectations in Science and
Technology, Social Studies, and Geography linked to Waste Minimization. Archived internet resources offer
background facts and student learning activities.
http://www.ontarioecoschools.org/curriculum_resources/downloads/WastebyGrade_Nov08.pdf
Lesson Plans:
Waste Reduction Week in Canada: www.wrwcanada.com/resourcesS.htm
Resourceful School Projects: http://www.resourcefulschools.org/teachers/lesson-plans
28
Earth Care: www.earthcarecanada.com/EarthCARE_Program/EarthCARE_lessons.asp
Resources:
EcoSource: http://ecosource.ca/index.php?src=gendocs&link=Kid%20Zone&wpos=4
Pack a Waste Free Lunch: www.epa.gov/epawaste/education/lunch.htm
The impact of packaging: www.naturopack.org/Images/Cost_packaging_poster.jpg
RecycleNow Schools: http://www.recyclenow.com/schools/index.html
Resourceful Schools Project: http://www.resourcefulschools.org/teachers/school-activities
A Waste Reduction Manual for Schools: http://www.ec.gc.ca/cppic/En/refView.cfm?refId=989
Ontario EcoSchools Archived Resources:
http://www.ontarioecoschools.org/curriculum_resources/downloads/Waste_Min_by_Gr_Archived.pdf

Videos:
How does a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) work?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CFE5tD1CCI
The Story of Stuff (Water Bottles): http://storyofstuff.org/bottledwater/
Recycling Empty Plastic Bottles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL_qH1ra7J0&feature=player_embedded
Waste Wise List of Videos: www.noosariver.com.au/wastewise/zero_waste_lunches_and_events.html
Waste Management Electronic Games:
Durham Region’s Waste game: www.durham.ca/WasteGame
Edmonton’s Sort it Out: http://www.sortitout.ca/
EPA’s Recycle City: http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/mainmap.htm
Lunch Waste:
29
Waste Free Lunches: www.wastefreelunches.org
Green My Lunch Box: http://www.greenmylunchbox.com/
Zane and Isaac’s Waste Free-Lunch: www.greenschools.net/downloads/waste-freelunchguidelines_2.pdf
Other:
TRCA Waste-Free Lunch Challenge Flyer (available in multiple languages): http://www.trca.on.ca/schoolprograms/teacher-resources.dot
Cathy’s Crawly Composters: www.cathyscomposters.com
Earth Day Eco Action Teams: www.ecoactionteams.ca
Journey to Forever: www.journeytoforever.org/edu_compost.html

Attachment Eight: Sample Web Banner
The following web banner has been developed to promote the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge using online
mediums. If your class or school has a website, consider adding the banner to the top or bottom of the site to
promote your challenge. You may also consider forwarding your banner to your district school board. THE JPEG
version of the banner is available in the teacher resource section of the website.
30

RESOURCES DURING THE CHALLENGE
Attachment Nine: Instructional Videos
Instructional video about the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge can be viewed online:
www.wastefreelunch.com/videos. Here you will find instructional videos for parents and teachers. These
videos include: Introduction to the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge, How to conduct a Waste Audit, How to shop
for a Waste-Free Lunch and How to Pack a Waste-Free Lunch. In advance of the challenge, WFLC recommends
that teachers show the videos to their students to help them prepare for challenge.
31

Attachment 10: WFLC Lesson Plan
WFLC LESSON PLAN
Description
A waste audit is a tool to measure waste production. The audit will measure how much waste is produced from
school lunches, and will also find out how much waste is being sent to landfill or being diverted by recycling and
composting. Students will collect, sort and weigh the waste from their lunches on a normal day before the
challenge. During Waste Reduction Week, students will try to go waste-free for an entire week and monitor
their success through visual scans. Finally, at some point during the Waste-Free Lunch challenge, the school will
conduct a second waste audit to assess their improvement. The results will be compared to see whether there
has been any change in the volume of waste produced from school lunches.
Please note: This lesson is a simplified version of a full waste audit where items are sorted and results are
measured to a greater level of detail. For information about conducting school-wide comprehensive waste
audits, please visit www.wrwcanada.com (Waste Reduction Week in Canada) or www.ontarioecoschools.org
(Ontario Ecoschools).
32
Lesson Objectives
1. To understand how school lunches can be a source of waste
2. To understand why it is important to have a waste-free school lunch
3. To identify those items within the average school lunch that are reusable, recyclable, compostable or
garbage which must be sent to landfill
4. To identify ways of reducing waste from school lunches
Curriculum Connections
The following table provides sample Ontario curriculum connections to the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge. For a
detailed overview of Ontario environmental curriculum connections (JK and grade eight), please visit the

Ministry of Education’s 2011 Environmental Education: Scope and Sequences of Expectations:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/environ18curr.pdf.
Grade Subject Strand and Topic
JK-SK Personal and Social Development Awareness of Surroundings
The Arts
Visual Arts
Grade 1 Drama Creating and Presenting
Science and Technology
Everyday Structures
Grade 2 Visual Art Creating and Presenting
Mathematics
Data Management and Probability
Grade 3 Language Reading
Mathematics
Grade 4 Language Writing
Data Management and Probability:
Collection and Organization of Data
33
Social Studies
Canadian and World Connections: Canada’s
Provinces, Territories and Regions
Grade 5 Health and Physical Education Active Living- Safety
Science and Technology
Understanding Earth and Space Systems:
Conservation of Energy and Resources
Grade 6 Health and Physical Education Healthy Living: Making Healthy Eating
Choices
Social Studies
Mathematics
Canada and World Connections: Canada’s
Links to the World
Measurement: Attributes, Units and
Measurement Sense
Grade 7 Music Creating and Performance
History and Geography
Patterns in Physical Geography

Science and Technology
Understanding Life Systems: Interactions in
the Environment
Grade 8 Language Media Literacy
Mathematics
Data Management and Probability
Materials Needed
• Metric scale for weighing garbage (e.g. kitchen scales or hanging scales such as those used for measuring the
weight of fish),
• Gloves for each person who will be handling the waste (e.g. food handling gloves, gardening gloves or
washing up gloves – be sure to check for latex allergies),
• A set of kitchen or BBQ tongs (can be used if students do not want touch the garbage even with gloves),
• Large tarp or plastic sheet for sorting garbage (at least 2m by 2m),
• Containers (e.g. buckets, tubs) or extra bags for sorting and weighing materials. Their weights when empty
need to be recorded before the audit starts. Make sure containers are thoroughly cleaned at the end of the
audit if they are to be used again,
34
• Labels or signs for waste categories (Garbage, Reusable, Recyclable, Compostable/Organic), and
• Copies of the worksheets (attached at the end of this document), clip boards and pens/pencils.
Time Required
For a classroom audit, it is recommended that you allocate approximately 40-60 minutes to complete the
normal day waste audit (i.e. before the Challenge). This will need to include time for set up, sorting, a brief
discussion and clean up. During the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge, it is recommended that you allocate
approximately 10-15 minutes each day to complete the waste audit after lunch. Less time has been allocated as
we anticipate that minimal waste will need to be audited during the Challenge. If your whole school is
participating, the amount of time it will take to complete the audit will vary depending on the size of the school
and the number of students involved in the waste audit.

The assessment discussion points may be saved for the last day of the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge or for the
following week when there is time to analyze the results and incorporate the exercise into relevant subject
areas such as Mathematics or Science and Technology.
School Specific Considerations
When planning your waste audit, please consider the following questions as they will influence the discussion
points at the end of the lesson.
• What is the procedure for managing recyclable materials? Does your school have a recycling collection
service?
• What is the procedure for managing organic food scraps? Does your school have a composting or
vermiculture (worm farm) system or collection service?
If your school does not currently have a recycling or organic collection service, the auditing activity still provides
a valuable opportunity for students to identify items which may be recycled or composted if a service or system
was introduced. The audit may be used as a way of identifying future waste diversion initiatives at your school.
35
Schools that do not currently have a recycling or organic collection service are also still eligible to enter the
Waste-Free Lunch Challenge. Simply complete the audit exercise and record your results as if there are
recycling and organic waste collections available. This will enable your classroom/school entry to be judged
fairly with others.
Waste Audit Steps
Please note, the 2012 Challenge only requires two waste audits: one audit before the challenge starts, and a
second audit during the challenge. An instructional video that explains how to do a waste audit can be viewed
at: www.wastefreelunch.com/videos. A step by step guide explaining how to complete your waste audits is
available on page 40 (for schools) and page 38 (for classrooms).
Assessment
The following suggestions are provided for discussion and for assessing students’ knowledge and understanding
of waste management issues.

Primary (JK-3):
• Where does the waste in each category (garbage, recycling, and organics) go once you put it in the bin?
• How does it make you feel when you look at a waste-free lunch and a lunch that produces lots of garbage?
• What should/should not be in a waste-free lunch?
Junior (4-6):
• How much waste do you think you produce each year just from your school lunches?
• Can you explain why some piles are bigger than others?
• What are some of the natural resources needed to produce the items in our school lunch? (e.g. aluminum
for soft drink containers, oil/petroleum for plastics)
• Where does the waste in each category (garbage, recycling, and organics) go once you put it in the bin?
36
• What are the components of a waste-free lunch?
• Will you make changes to your personal behaviour?
Senior (7-8):
• What role has technology played in generating the waste from our lunches?
• What are the impacts on the environment from waste produced as part of our school lunches?
• Where do the products in your lunch come from? (e.g. imported fruit and vegetables)
• Which do you think is healthier - a waste-free lunch or one which has throwaway items?
• Has your involvement in the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge changed the way you value the environment?
Safety and Approval
Before you complete the waste audit, ensure:

• The selection or appointment of an assessment coordinator to monitor health and safety (this may include
the completion of a risk assessment).
• Support is received from the school community including approval from the Principal.
• Availability of staff or parent volunteers to help with the audit.
• Allocate adequate time for the audit. Depending on the volume of waste, the audit may be very quick or
may take some time to complete.
• Safety! When handling waste, be sure the necessary precautions are taken such as wearing gloves and
using appropriate safety equipment and procedures.
37

Attachment 11: Waste Audit Instructions- Classroom Activities
Steps to complete a classroom waste audit:
1. On the nominated day instruct students in the registered classroom to place their throwaway lunch waste
into a single bag or container separate from all other school bins. This is to ensure that you are measuring
school lunch waste from your classroom only. Keep lunch boxes or lunch bags on hand for sorting as
‘reusables’.
2. Label the bag or container with the date and classroom.
3. After the lunch/nutrition break - spread the tarp or plastic sheet out in a suitable space – well ventilated and
room for students to move around the sorting sheet.
4. Use labels/signs to create separate sections for items on the tarp/plastic sheet. Make sure space is left for
the unsorted waste. Briefly explain the meanings of the different categories.
5. Assist students to put their reusables (i.e. lunch boxes, lunch bags) in the correct position.
6. Tip the lunch waste bag or container onto the sheet.
7. Select students to sort items (using gloves and tongs) into categories according to their final destination
(landfill/garbage, recyclable or compostable).
38
Note: If there is no recycling program, organics collection or in-school compost system, it may be useful to
use the ‘compostable’ category as a way of identifying a future classroom or school project to manage food
scraps. Classrooms that do not currently have a recycling or organic collection service should simply
complete the audit exercise and record results as if there are recycling and organic waste collections
available. This will enable the classroom entry to be judged fairly with others.
8. Select students to place each pile in a pre-weighed bag or container and weight it. Subtract the weight of
the container. Record all information on the Waste Audit Worksheet including: weight of waste generated,
weight of recyclables, weight of compostable material and number of student lunches.
Hint: If your bathroom scale is not sensitive enough, try weighing yourself with the container filled with
the waste you are attempting to measure. Next, weigh the container and yourself. Subtract your first
number from the second— this is the weight of the material.
Example:
Your weight plus the container filled with waste – 60 kg

Your weight plus the container – 59.3 kg
60kg – 59.3 kg = 0.7 kg
0.7 kg = Weight of waste
Hint: If you are still unable to get results, use the resource: Sample Weights of Common Lunch Items.
Using this sheet, you can tally your results.
After the Waste Audit
1. Select students to collect items in each category and dispose of waste, recycling, etc as appropriate. Ensure
that all reusable items (lunch boxes, lunch bags) are returned to their owners.
2. Clean containers and/tarp as appropriate and return to storage.
3. Make sure all students wash their hands thoroughly before returning to class.
39

Attachment 12: Waste Audit Instructions Whole School
If a whole school is participating in the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge, they have two options – audit all
classrooms individually and then tally the results, or, they can conduct a school wide waste audit. In the first
option, each classroom in the school will follow the waste audit classroom instructions and submit their result to
a designated individual who will tally the final results for the schools. Alternatively, the school can collect their
lunch waste in one location and do one assessment for the school.
Steps to complete a school waste audit:
1. On the nominated day ensure that each classroom places their lunch waste into a bag or container separate
from all other school bins. This is to ensure that you are only measuring school lunch waste.
2. Do not put reusable lunch boxes or containers into the bag with the lunch waste. If you would like to
provide a visual reusable container demonstration, label each student’s lunch bag and containers with the
student’s name and classroom. Select a separate area (e.g. table) for reusable items such as lunch boxes. For
health and safety purposes, this must be separate from the waste. Collect the reusable containers and
observe the difference between the reusable containers and the waste.
3. After lunch, each class will bring their bag of lunch waste material to a designated location where the school
lunch audit will occur.
40
4. Spread the tarp or plastic sheet out in a suitable space – well ventilated and room for students to move
around the sorting sheet.
5. Use labels/signs to create separate sections for items on the tarp/plastic sheet. Make sure space is left for
the unsorted waste. Briefly explain the meanings of the different categories.
6. Tip each classroom’s lunch waste bag or container onto the sheet.
7. Select students to sort items (using gloves and tongs) into categories according to their final destination
(landfill/garbage, recyclable or compostable).
Note: If there is no recycling program, organics collection or in-school compost system, it may be useful to
use the ‘compostable’ category as a way of identifying a future classroom or school project to manage food
scraps. Classrooms that do not currently have a recycling or organic collection service should simply
complete the audit exercise and record results as if there are recycling and organic waste collections
available. This will enable the entry to be judged fairly with others.
8. Select students to place each pile in a pre-weighed bag or container and weight it. Subtract the weight of
the container. Record all information on the Waste Audit Worksheet including: weight of waste generated,
weight of recyclables, weight of compostable material and number of student lunches.

After the Waste Audit
1. Select students to collect items in each category and dispose of waste, recycling, etc as appropriate. Ensure
that all reusable items (lunch boxes, lunch bags) are returned to their owners.
2. Clean containers and/tarp as appropriate and return to storage.
3. Make sure all students wash their hands thoroughly before returning to class.
41

Attachment 13: Fun activities to go with a waste audit
Track your garbage - optional
Create a map or diagram with students of what happens to the items in their lunch that they recycle,
compost or if throw it away as garbage. This can be used as the basis for a discussion on the
environmental impacts of waste disposal and local issues around landfills or recycling facilities.
Pledge your commitment - optional
Have students fill out a personal pledge to bring a waste-free lunch and attach the pledges to a large
drawing of a lunch box or waste-free lunch poster prominently displayed in the classroom. Remind
students the day before to make sure they bring a waste-free lunch and that you will be measuring all
of the waste produced after lunch that day.
Tote-your-own-trash - optional
Students and staff attach a plastic bag to their belt for the day. All their recycling or garbage (with the
exception of bathroom waste) goes in the bag; students do a personal audit at the day’s end and
formulate a plan to reduce or reuse personal garbage.
42

Attachment 14: Waste Audit Tool (EXCEL version available online)
The Waste Audit Tool will help to calculate your waste reduction results. The Excel tool is available for
download online. Once you download the tool, you will see that there are four tabs. The first tab is called “Live
Audit Tool”. This is where you would enter your results, and the tool will calculate the amount of waste you
diverted from landfill and your annualized results. Please note that you can only enter information into cells
that are associated with waste audit results and your classroom information. The rest of the tool is locked. The
second tab is labelled “Sample Version”. This provides an overview of a complete form. The third tab, labelled
“Do the Calculations Yourself”, provides the necessary equations to calculate the results with your students.
Each cell has a number attached to it (A, B, C). Letters A to I is information you will find during the Waste Audits.
The “Do the Calculations Yourself” can also be found below:
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Further down in the excel file, you will see equations (D/B=J). Simply, divide the number you placed in cell “D”
by the number you placed in cell “B”. This will give you a new number, and will be referred to in the future as J.
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The all pink table is cells that are required during final submission for the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge (Final
Entry form). Results are due by November 9, 2012. The number on the far left of each line will correspond with
a question on the final entry form. I.E Normal Day Audit- Total number of student lunches for “Normal Day
Waste Audit” is question “2. A” of the final submission form.

The final page of the excel tool “Annualized Results (For School Use only)” is data that your school may find
useful. This information is not required for the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge final submission.
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Attachment 15: Sample Weights of Common Lunch Items
If your bathroom scale is not sensitive enough, try weighing yourself with the container filled with the waste you
are attempting to measure. Next, weigh the container and yourself. Subtract your first number from the
second— this is the weight of the material. (See page 43 for a sample calculation). If you have very little waste,
a regular scale may not be sensitive enough to calculate the waste produced. This guide provides typical
weights for items found in a lunch.
Organics
Material
Weight (grams)
Apple
Banana Peel
Orange Peel
Pizza Crust
Sandwich Crusts
38 grams
58 grams
63 grams
34 grams
47 grams
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Plastic Products
Material
Weight (grams)
DunkAroo HDPE Plastic Container
HDPE (#2) YOP beverage bottle (200mL )
Instant Noddle Paper based Cup (70 grams)
Lunchables Plastic #7 Package
Lunchables Soft Plastic Wrap
PET beverage bottle (1L)
Plastic Food Wrap
Plastic Zip top sandwich bag
4 grams
24 grams
17 grams
14 grams
2 grams
49 grams
1 gram
8 grams

Small plastic yogurt cup
Straw
8 grams
1 gram
Metal Products
Material
Weight (grams)
Aluminum beverage can
Aluminum Foil
18 grams
6 grams
Paper Products
Material
Lunchables Cardboard Package
Medium Brown Paper Bag
Weight (grams)
15 grams
35 grams
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Milk Carton (250mL)
12 grams
Milk Carton (500 mL)
24 grams
Paper Serviette
4 grams
Tetra Pak juice box carton (200 mL)
12 grams
Poly Foil
Material
Weight (grams)
Chocolate Bar Wrapper (43 grams)
Chip Bag
DunkAroo Top
Fruit To Go
1 gram
4 grams
1 gram
1 gram

Granola bar wrapper
Lunchables Candy Wrapper
2 grams
1 gram
Other
Material
Weight (grams)
Rubber band
1 gram
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Attachment 16: Final Submission Questions
The following questions will be asked in your final submission to RCO (by November 9, 2012). The Recycling
Council of Ontario encourages teachers to review and draft these responses in advance of the final submission
deadline. As the final submission tool does not allow teachers to save their responses, RCO strongly encourages
teachers to draft and save their responses in WORD. To submit your results, please see page 13.
1. A) Email address of registered Teacher/Principal
1. B) Retype email address:
1. C) District School Board Name:
1. D) Name of School:
1. E) Name of registered Teacher/Principal
1. F) Youngest participating grade
1. G) Oldest participating grade
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1. H) Number of participating students
1. I) Which category are you nominating for? (Beginner, Advanced)
1. J) Registered for: (Classroom School)
1. K) Has your school Principal given permission for your entry to be reproduced by the Recycling Council of
Ontario?
1. L) Dates of your Waste-Free Lunch Challenge
2. A) Normal Day Audit - Total number of student Lunches for Normal Day Waste Audit
2. B) Normal Day Audit - Garbage collected (kg)
2. C) Normal Day Audit- Recyclable material collected (kg)
2. D) Normal Day Audit- Organic food waste collected (kg)
3. A) WFLC Audit- Total number of student Lunches for WFLC Audit
3. B) WFLC Audit- Garbage collected (kg)

3. C) WFLC Audit- Recyclable material collected (kg)
3. D) WFLC Audit- Organic food waste collected (kg)
4. A) Why did your class/school choose to participate in the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge?
(Classroom/School Report - Maximum 100 words)
4. B) How did you promote the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge in your classroom/school? (Maximum 100
words)
4. C) How will your class/school continue to reduce waste from school lunches? (Maximum 100 words)
4. E) How did your classroom/school respond to the Challenge? (i.e. what did you learn? Student
testimonials encouraged) (Maximum 100 words)
4. F) Advanced Category only- If your school lunches are already low waste or waste-free, please tell us how
you promote waste reduction in other areas of the school or community (e.g. waste reduction activities as
part of an EcoAction Plan) (Maximum 100 words)
5. A) Survey - Does your school have access to recycling? (Yes, No)
5. B) Does your school have access to composting? (Yes, No)
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5. C) Do you know who picks up your recycling , and if so, who? (i.e. Name of collection agency, name of
municipality, etc.) (Yes, No)
6. Please list other environmental programs that your school participates in.
7. Which of the resources provided on the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge website did you find useful?
8. Please indicate who participated in or supported your waste-free lunch event (check all that apply)
9. Please let us know about any other ideas/comments you have regarding the Waste-Free Lunch Challenge
(Maximum 200 words)
10. The Waste-Free Lunch Challenge would like to provide coveted grand prizes that reward a school's effort
to go waste-free. Please let us know if you have any feedback or suggestions about the prizes being offered.
(Maximum 200 words)