“Last school year, we collected almost eight tons of metals, which brought the school over $2,170 dollars,” said Robinson. “We used that money to buy T-shirts for all of our staff and students for our bullying prevention program.”

The Swaney Elementary Recycling Club has a trailer where they collect cans, old appliances, car parts, and other metals to take to Wichita to sell. Robinson’s kids also collected thousands of items such as dairy containers, Lunchables containers, juice pouches, chip and snack bags, diaper and wipe packages, and tape dispensers and rolls to mail to Terracycle. That company encourages recycling by paying for those items.

There are about 30 kids in the Recycling club, but the entire school gets in on the action by collecting items in their classrooms and saving their containers at lunch.

“The Recycling Club goes around to the classrooms and picks up the things they have saved,” said Robinson. “We take them out to the recycling containers to be picked up or save them to be sold.”

But they don’t stop there. Kids at Swaney also have collection containers for cell phones and printer cartridges and they even save crayons.

“We started a project a couple of years ago where the kids will save and peel old crayons,” said Robinson. “We take them home and melt them into molds and we sell them for a quarter a piece. The kids really love those.”

Data from Waste Connections shows that recycling is very popular in the Derby area. Nearly 80 percent of residents do it and city officials say it is because it is easy and free for residents who are on city trash service.

“A recycle bin is included in the price of their trash service and is collected biweekly,” said Kristy Bansemer, city public information officer. “By using the bins, residents can earn RecycleBank points for coupons or discounts at local retailers.”

Bansemer says there is also a way for people who recycle to pay less for their trash service.

“Waste Connections has three options of trash cart sizes. The smaller your cart is, the less you pay,” said Bansemer. “The more you recycle, the smaller cart you need.

Bansemer says the 95-gallon cart is $48.65 per quarter, the 65-gallon cart is $42.08, and the 35-gallon cart is $35.48. Those who live on the outskirts of town can drop off recyclables at Dillon’s or Swaney Elementary.

To find out what Swaney Elementary accepts call Robinson at 788-8560 or 371-3652.