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About The Recycling Society

The Recycling Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to teaching children that they should never throw aluminum cans in the trash. Through our Million Cans Recycling Contest, students learn that aluminum is recyclable forever and that it has real value. Millions of cans have already been collected and recycled by students across the country. Together, we can make our planet a better place!

The Recycling Society connects elementary schools with scrapyards across the country to create sustainable recycling programs that make a difference in the lives of children and the communities they live in. Best of all, schools keep 100% of the money they earn from the cans they collect and recycle!

About the Million Cans Recycling Contest

We launched the Million Cans Recycling Contest in November 2023 with just 8 incredible schools—and they recycled 1.3 million aluminum cans! In 2024, the contest grew to 36 schools and together they recycled over 2.2 million cans.

Now in our 3rd year, the contest has officially become a core program of The Recycling Society, with 54 schools across 14+ states competing to recycle the most cans from October 1st to April 30th each year.

We focus on states without a deposit program and show students, teachers, families, and communities how fun, easy, and impactful recycling can be—thanks to the amazing support of our local scrapyard partners.

With the help of generous donors, we can continue expanding this program each year—bringing hands-on recycling education to the communities across the USA that need it most. 🌎💚🥫

States

Schools

Books Distributed

!

Total Cans Recycled

Our Winning Formula

Your donation helps us bring hands-on recycling education to more students across the USA. With your support, we can teach kids how easy it is to recycle at school with the help of their local metal recycling partners — and inspire the next generation of recycling superheroes! ♻️💚🦸‍♀️

Education +

We teach students why recycling aluminum cans matters.
Schools

Convenience +

Students and the community can easily drop off cans at school.
Scrapyards

Competition +

Schools compete statewide and nationwide for prizes and awards!
Leaderboard

Incentives +

Superheroes earn pizza and ice cream parties when they hit their goals.
Prizes

= Higher Recycling Rates

2025-2026 Current Can Count

The Million Cans Recycling Contest

♻️ 54 schools across the USA are competing
from October 01 – April 30th to recycle the most aluminum cans!

The Million Cans Recycling Contest is a win-win: students help the planet 🌎 and schools keep 100% of the money from the cans they recycle.

Every can counts let’s cheer on our recycling superheroes! 🦸‍♀️🥳
MIllion Cans Recycling Contest Page

🏆 Current Leaderboard 🏆

View PDF

📊 Leaderboard Notes

45 of our 54 amazing schools have had their cans picked up so far — many bins are still filling up! 🗑️♻️

Schools not yet listed are simply waiting on their first pickup… stay tuned! 🚛✨

Our leaderboard ranks schools based on the total number of aluminum cans recycled divided by the number of books we send over.

Each student in the selected grade receives their own copy of The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans (in English or Spanish). They read the book, share the message, and help teach their entire school — and their families — why aluminum cans should never go in the trash. 🥫💚

We update the leaderboard every time we receive an official scale ticket from our metal recycling partners.

Thank you for your patience — and keep those cans coming, superheroes! 💪🦸‍♀️✨✨

2025 - 2026
Million Cans Recycling
Contest Stats:

States

Schools

Books Distributed

🇺🇸 14 states across the USA have schools competing in the Million Cans Recycling Contest! 🥫🏆

States with 2 or more schools in the Million Cans Recycling Contest are competing for a $500 State Prize! 🥫🏆

The winner will be the school that recycles the most total aluminum cans by April 30th.

Every can counts — let the recycling showdown begin! ♻️✨

01 School - Alabama

03 Schools - Arizona

01 School - Colorado

04 Schools - Florida

02 Schools - Illinois

04 Schools - Indiana

23 Schools - Kentucky

01 Schools - Louisiana

04 Schools - Mississippi

02 Schools - Missouri

04 Schools - Pennsylvania

02 Schools - Texas

02 Schools - Washington

01 School - West Virginia

Total Schools Competing: 54

We focus on states without a bottle deposit program. Instead, we connect schools with local metal recyclers who provide collection bins and pay schools directly for their aluminum cans. ♻️🥫

This builds strong partnerships between schools and recyclers — and students get to see their cans recycled right before their eyes. Families learn where to recycle metal in their community, helping both the planet and their piggy bank.

Never tossing metal in the trash is one of the easiest ways to help our planet. 🌎✨
List of Schools and Recyclers
Alabama
  • L.E. Willson Elementary
  • 25,935 Cans
Arizona
  • Carrillo K-5 Magnet School
  • 37,135 Cans

  • Rivera Elementary
  • 5,285 Cans

  • Booth-Fickett Math
  • 1,225 Cans

 

Colorado
  • Prospect Ridge Academy
  • 84,000 Cans
Florida
  • Oriole Beach Elementary
  • 56,700 Cans

  • Independence Academy
  • 2,275 Cans

  • Round Lake Charter 
  • Cans TBD

  • David Lawrence Jr. K-8 Center
  • Cans TBD
Illinois
  • Bradley West Elementary
  • 24,570 Cans

  • Marya Yates Elementary 
Indiana
  • Tri County Primary
  • 151,900 Cans

  • Newburgh Elementary 
  • 58,800 Cans

  • Yankeetown Elementary 
  • 30,800 Cans

  • Delphi Community Elementary 
  • 23,800 Cans
Louisiana
  • Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School
  • 8,015 Cans
Mississippi
  • New Hope Elementary
  • 50,715 Cans

  • Caledonia Elementary
  • 11,900 Cans

  • Southaven Elementary
  • 11,235 Cans

  • West Lowndes Elementary
  • Cans TBD
Missouri
  • Flynn Park Elementary
  • 76,055 Cans

  • Washington West Elementary
  • 41,300 Cans
Pennsylvania
  • Mendon Elementary 
  • 90,650 Cans

  • Environmental Charter School
  • 30,800 Cans
  • Weatherly Area Elementary 
  • 23,555 Cans

  • Our Mother of Perpetual Help School
  • 9,135 Cans
Texas
  • La Vega Elementary 
  • 18,550 Cans

  • Sky Harbour Elementary
  • 2,450 Cans
Washington
  • Enterprise Elementary
  • 36,855 Cans

  • Medina Academy
  • 8,365 Cans
West Virginia
  • Fairplain Elementary
  • 29,400 Cans

Kentucky 23 Schools

  • Adairville School
  • Alvaton Elementary
  • Auburn School
  • Berea Independent Schools
  • Briarwood Elementary School
  • Chandler's School
  • Cumberland Trace Elementary 
  • Greenville Elementary
  • Jennings Creek Elementary 
  • Lewisburg Elementary 
  • Lost River Elementary 
  • Mt. Washington
  • Muhlenberg South Elementary
  • North Warren Elementary
  • Olmstead School
  • Plano Elementary 
  • R.E. Stevenson Elementary 
  • Rich Pond Elementary 
  • Richard B. Cartmell Elementary
  • Richardsville Elementary 
  • Rockfield Elementary 
  • Warren Elementary 
  • William H. Natcher Elementary 
Rank Small Schools Students LBS Can Count
1st Lewisburg Elementary 57 1,805 63,175
2nd Chandler's School 47 799 27,965
3rd R.E. Stevenson Elementary 60 691 24,185
4th Adairville School 40 528 18,480
5th Muhlenberg South Elementary 72 355 12,425
6th Olmstead School 33 301 10,535
7th Richardsville Elementary School 72 93 3,255
KY Rank Medium Schools Students LBS Can Count
1st Mt. Washington Elementary 90 5,540 193,900
2nd Auburn School 75 430 15,050
3rd Rockfield Elementary 88 349 12,215
4th Berea Independent Schools 78 286 12,508
5th Briarwood Elementary School 77 264 9,240
6th William H. Natcher Elementary 91 127 4,445
TBD Jennings Creek Elementary School 100 0 0
TBD Warren Elementary School 100 0 0
Rank Large Schools Students LBS Can Count
1st Greenville Elementary 106 493 17,255
2nd Alvaton Elementary School 144 369 12,915
3rd Cumberland Trace Elementary 103 316 11,060
4th Rich Pond Elementary 149 293 10,255
5th Lost River Elementary School 110 70 2,450
TBD North Warren Elementary 102 0 0
TBD Plano Elementary School 142 0 0
TBD Richard B. Cartmell Elementary 132 0 0
Kentucky schools have been split into three groups — small, medium, and large. 🏫

Each group is competing for $500 for 1st place, $400 for 2nd, and $300 for 3rd. 🥇🥈🥉

Let’s go, Kentucky recycling superheroes! ♻️🥫✨
View 54 Schools On Map

Help us Turn Students into Superheroes

Your donations buy books, pizza, ice cream, and more for schools across the USA. 🍕📚

Every $1 helps us teach more kids about the importance of recycling. ♻️✨

Stories Create Superheroes

Kids learn about recycling through fun books, cartoons, and coloring pages — along with hands-on activities. ♻️📚✨
📚 Reading

Communities unite

Students take the pledge and rally their community to save cans for their school as a way to raise funds.
🦸🏼🦸🏽‍♂️ Teamwork

Turning Cans into Change

Small actions create big change for schools and the planet. Metal Recyclers will pay for cans.
♻️ Results
View All Recycling Partners

🍕 75,000 Can Pizza Party Winners! 🥫♻️

When a school hits 75,000 recycled aluminum cans, their recycling superheroes earn a well-deserved pizza party to celebrate their hard work and teamwork — and for rallying their entire school and community to collect cans! 🍕🥫

It’s our way of saying THANK YOU for keeping cans out of the trash and helping protect our planet. Amazing job, superheroes — thanks a MILLION! 💚

Your donations help make it all possible — covering books, pizza parties, ice cream celebrations, and more rewards for our incredible recycling superheroes. ♻️✨

Mt. Washington Elementary

Mt. Washington Elementary’s recycling superheroes teamed up with Tri-Arrows Aluminum and Grade A Auto Recycling to recycle over 88,900 cans so far this year — earning their pizza party and keeping cans out of the trash! Last year, they recycled an incredible 276,745 cans. Amazing work, Kentucky! ♻️🥫 #millioncans
193,900 Cans

Tri County Primary

♻️⭐ Tri County Recycling Superheroes! The amazing students at Tri County Primary in Indiana are crushing it again this year with 151,900 aluminum cans recycled so far! 🥫 Last year’s contest champions are back and coming in strong, working with the great teams at Lewis Salvage Recycling and Ball Corporation. Keep up the incredible work, recycling superheroes! 💪♻️

Mendon Elementary

🐾♻️ The recycling superheroes at Mendon Elementary School in Yough, Pennsylvania have already recycled 90,650 cans this year and earned their pizza party! 🍕🥫 Last year they finished 2nd place nationwide with 284,025 cans and an incredible 5,072 cans per student. They’re working with the awesome team at Mon Valley Recycling. We can’t wait to see how they finish this year! Crush it like a Cougar! 🐾♻️

Prospect Ridge Academy

Prospect Ridge Academy is rocking their first year in the Million Cans Recycling Contest — teaming up with Aluminum Dynamics and Rocky Mountain Recycling as the only school in Colorado! Way to go, Miner Mania — we love seeing those recycling superheroes in action. Keep up the amazing work! ♻️🥫 #miners #minermania #millioncans
84,000 Cans

What We Do

Hear from Our Recycling Superheroes!
Find out why the Million Cans Recycling Contest matters—from the kids who are making a real difference, one can at a time. ♻️🌟
Videos

Watch Heavy Metal Elementary! ♻️🦄🦸🏼 🏫

Inspire the kids in your life to become recycling superheroes!

Our winning formula: Education + Convenience +
Competition + Incentives = Higher Recycling Rates!

Our recycling superheroes are sparking big behavior changes everywhere they go!

The U.S. recycles just 43% of aluminum cans…
Together, we can do better. Join the movement!

Check out the current aluminum cans recycling rates by state below.
USA Recycling Rates By State

What Our Donors Are Saying

Here’s what our amazing donors are saying! 💚
We hope you’ll consider supporting the Recycling Society today so we can continue growing and reaching more students every year.
Donate today. 💚♻️
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Recycling is like Magic
The Recycling Society is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. EIN: 33-2569312.
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