FLINT, MI - The outpouring of support for the Flint water crisis has presented a new challenge for the area.

What to do with the millions of donated plastic water bottles once they have been emptied?

So far, the state alone has handed out more than 176,000 cases of bottled water since a state of emergency was declared in the city Jan. 5.

The number of plastic water bottles in the area has been steadily rising in the months since Flint residents were told not to drink their water in October, following the discovery of high levels of lead in the blood of children and infants after a switch to the Flint River as the city's water source.

Just this week, a group of celebrities that included Diddy, rapper Eminem and actor Mark Wahlberg announced they were sending another million bottles of water to the city.

But not everyone is so excited about such donations.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 18 million gallons of bottled water were shipped to California from Fiji in 2006, producing about 2,500 tons of global warming pollution.

Most bottled water comes in recyclable PET plastic bottles, according to the NRDC, but only about 13 percent of the bottles we use get recycled.

At least one Flint school is using the plastic bottle issue as a learning tool.

Durrant-Tuuri-Mott Elementary School, the Flint School District's largest elementary, goes through about one bottle of water per day for each of its 725 students, Principal Shelly Umphrey said.

Throughout the week, about 10 students participate in the schools "lunch and learn" recycling program called DTM Pride group.

A couple of times per week, the kids go around and empty the plastic bottles from recycling bins throughout the school.

Students then take the empty bottles to a larger recycling big in the parking lot of the school, Umphrey said.

"We're just taking this opportunity to make it real life for them," she said.

While Flint residents already pay for recycling on a biweekly basis, according to city Spokeswoman Kristin Moore, there also are several companies stepping up to help rid the city of the millions of empty bottles.

Residents can return clear bags full of empty water bottles to any of the water stations throughout the city.

Young's Environmental said on its Facebook page that it will have a roll-out box starting at 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 25 in front of their corporate headquarters at 5305 N. Dort Highway, between Carpenter and Coldwater roads.

Residents can drop off their empty water bottles that will then be recycled.

Each Monday, residents also can place a bag of plastic water bottles on the curb for pick up by Mission Protect Flint Recycling Project.

The Group also has a drop off from 10 a.m. to noon at Roy Wilkins School, 121 E. York Ave., the group said in a statement.

Anyone with questions about the pickup is asked to call 810-259-5281.

Republic Services, which provides trash and recycle services to the city, is providing additional resources to Flint for the influx of water bottles.

"We definitely want to encourage everyone to recycle the bottles rather than place them in the trash," said Jennifer Eldridge, Republic Services spokeswoman.

Dominic Adams is a reporter for The Flint Journal. Contact him at dadams5@mlive.com or 810-241-8803. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.