Base recycling center hosting America Recycles Day event to promote awareness

  • Published
  • By Mary H. Allen
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
There is a saying that one man's trash is another man's treasure, which is becoming truer as businesses and manufacturers turn people's trash into recycled materials.

America Recycles Day on Nov. 15 will be a day to promote and educate people on the importance of recycling. Since 1997, Department of Defense installations have joined communities across the country to celebrate recycling efforts.

At Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the Civil Engineering Group Recycling Center is playing a large role in recycling. The base recycled more than 1,850 tons of recycle materials last year due to the efforts of base employees.

To observe America Recycle Day, the recycling center is hosting an open house Nov. 16 with light refreshments and tours from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The recycling center is located in Area A, Bldg. 293.

"The tours will provide a unique look into how recycled materials are gathered and processed," said David Dalton, Solid Waste and Recycling Program manager. "We also have a composting process at the center that uses 60,000 worms to decompose waste into a rich, dark organic soil.

According to Dalton, the recycling center provides the base with paper and cardboard recycling dumpsters for larger occupied buildings, under-the-desk paper recycle bins, bigger bins next to copiers/printers, lockable For Official Use Only/Personally Identifiable Information paper bins, containers for plastic material, and toner cartridge recycling bins for base usage.

The recycling center offers curbside drop-off service for everyday recyclables of cans, cardboard, paper and plastic bottles. There is a special area for used motor oil as well as containers for scrap metal items. The drop-off site is open 24 hours a day and is located behind the recycling center.

"Everyone can do their part in recycling by taking advantage of opportunities provided on base as well as in their cities they reside in," said Dalton.

According to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans generated more than 254 million tons of trash and recycled more than 87 million tons of material in 2013. Batteries were the No. 1 material recycled, and paper was the third most recycled material collected.

With more people and businesses recycling and using recycled material, the country is recycling 34 percent of material used today.

For more information about recycling or the recycling center, call 257-4889.  

Recycling Checklist of items everyday (but not limited to):
  
Plastics:

   Soda bottles, salad dressing bottles, milk/ water jugs, laundry/ cleaning product containers, shampoo bottles, plastic microwave meal containers
  
Glass:
   Juice containers, food jars, beer and wine bottles
  
Metal and batteries:
   Tin food cans, aluminum and steel beverage cans, aluminum foil and pie pans, wire cables, lead and acid batteries, scrap copper and brass
  
Paper and cardboard:
   Newspapers, corrugated cardboard, drink boxes, milk and juice cartons, food boxes, cereal boxes, books, junk mail, magazines, bond paper