By Nick Sestanovich

Elementary school is when students begin to learn the three Rs: reading, writing and arithmetic. However, with the help of Republic Services, Joe Henderson and Robert Semple elementary students are absorbing the other trio of Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.Waste collection company Republic Services, which provides service for Benicia, has been working with school districts to help minimize food waste by setting up new recycling programs.

“With Republic Services, our job is to work with the schools and the businesses to help them reduce what’s going into the landfill,” Marie Knutson, a recycling coordinator for Republic Services, said. “There’s also a California law, AB 1826, in regards to food waste. Pretty soon, everyone with four yards or more of trash going per week will have to have composting as well as recycling by law.”

Source: Semple, Henderson students assist peers with proper waste disposal through new program