Get Matched! School Recycling Program
Matching recycling refunds donated at Green Depots to schools across the province.
The Get Matched! program is an excellent way for K-12 public and private schools to raise funds during the school year while encouraging students and families to adopt sustainable waste management habits – at school, home, and play.
How to Get Matched! for Your School’s Beverage Containers
New schools are required to register with MMSB to have a school account set up for matched funds. School principals are only then required to complete and submit to MMSB the Registration and Direct Deposit Form if there is a change in the school principal and/or school banking account information has changed.
Here are three easy ways your school can start collecting beverage containers:
- Place recycling bins in classrooms, lunchrooms, cafeterias, and busy areas around your school.
- Organize a recycling blitz to allow parents and members of the community to drop off beverage containers at your school.
- Encourage students, parents, and community members to donate beverage containers directly to your school at any Green Depot using your Xpress account number (your school’s telephone number).
What’s Accepted
MMSB only matches refunds on beverage containers included in the Beverage Container Recycling Program. Learn what’s accepted at the Green Depot to Get Matched!
Note: The purchase of used beverage containers by any school for the purpose of receiving matched refunds is strictly prohibited and will result in the school’s disqualification from the program.
How to Collect Beverage Containers at Green Depot
Any Green Depot customer can donate their beverage containers directly to a school registered with Get Matched!
- Prior to having containers counted, customers must advise a Green Depot employee that the containers are being donated to a school account.
- By donating beverage containers to a school account, a customer authorizes the Green Depot to pay the applicable recycling refund directly to the school.
- Account balances credited to a non-school account cannot be transferred to a school account and do not qualify for the matched funds payment.
MMSB matches refunds on beverage containers returned to a Green Depot between September and June.
- Matched funds payments are issued each month, commencing in October when payments are made for containers collected and counted in September. The last payment is made in July for containers collected and counted in June.
- All matched funds are paid directly to the school through direct deposit to the school’s bank account. Principals receive a remittance notice confirming the payment.
Using Matched Funds
The Get Matched! program is an excellent way for schools to raise funds – individual schools can determine how matched funds are used to support school initiatives. MMSB encourages schools to use matched funds to support environmental programs around the school and in the classroom.
Many schools have used matched funds to:
- Purchase additional recycling bins
- Build a shed for storing recyclables
- Purchase books to build an environmental resource library
- Purchase or build classroom vermicomposting bins
- Purchase or build a compost bin and start composting at school
- Purchase trees, shrubs, or plants to naturalize school grounds
Think Green @ School
It doesn’t stop at beverage containers – schools in our province are leading the way in environmental initiatives, providing creative learning environments empowering youth to make positive efforts to reduce waste.
For more information on school outreach programs, classroom resources, and more, visit Think Green @ School.