08/15/2013 -- In keeping with its on-going “green” initiatives, Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany is expanding the Qualified Recycling Program in an effort to preserve its environment.
The base recently contracted with a new recycling vendor, which has allowed the Recycling Center to process new items including magazines, mixed paper, antifreeze and more, according to Robert L. Metts, section head, Pollution Prevention, Environmental Branch, Installation and Environment Division, MCLB Albany.
“We did not have this capability until a few months ago,” Metts said. “Recyclers can now put any and all other related paper inside the newspaper bin. This includes magazines, books and any type of colored paper.
“I hope this will curtail a lot of items that are going to the landfill,” he added.
The purpose of recycling is landfill avoidance, according to Metts.
“Landfill avoidance means recycling everything we can in order to prevent the landfills from filling up,” he said. “You can only put so much product in a landfill. When it is full, it is capped off and it becomes a dormant piece of land.”
Metts stated recycling can also help extend the life of a landfill.
“With fewer landfills, we can actually have more space for our children (to use) in future years,” he said.
According to Executive Order 13514, all federal agencies must divert 50 percent of landfill waste by 2015.
“Each employee handles some type of recycling commodity daily, be it a plastic bottle, soda can or just an everyday piece of paper or junk mail,” Metts said. “It just takes an extra step to recycle and help keep Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany compliant with Executive Order 13514. Employee participation will help us maintain this goal in the coming years.”
MCLB Albany complied with Executive Order 13514 in 2012, ahead of schedule, and is on track to meet it again in 2013, he added.
“Our base has an exceptional recycling team made up of a hardworking crew, led by an innovative and effective manager,” Hubert “Ski” Smigelski, deputy director, Installation and Environment Division, said. “In 2000, we recycled 444 tons annually on the base side, excluding parts from then-Maintenance Center Albany, but by 2012, Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany had recycled 3,394 tons annually.”
Metts credits the increase to employees knowing what to recycle.
“There should not be anything in (an) employee’s trash can but food waste,” he said. “All other products should be recycled through the Qualified Recycling Program.”
It is everyone’s responsibility to recycle, including residents in Base Housing, according to Metts.
“There is only a 20-percent participation rate among Base Housing residents,” Metts said. “The goal is 100 percent.”
Metts stressed that everyone on base is required to recycle, including those attending events held at the Schmid Field, the parade field in front of Building 3700 and Covella Pond.
To receive bins, residents may call the Lincoln Military Housing Office at 229-888-6662 or the Base Recycling Center at 229-639-6296 to schedule a delivery.
Recycling pickup in Base Housing is on Mondays.
For more information, call Robert Metts at 229-639-8934.
Tips for successful recycling
The following are some examples of acceptable recyclables (examples are not all inclusive):
Recyclables: clear, brown or green glass such as: juice bottles, mayonnaise jars and baby food jars.
What cannot be recycled: light bulbs, crystal, coffee mugs, ovenware, clay flower pots and plates.
Preparation: rinse well and remove lids. Labels may remain.
Recyclables: aluminum and steel cans such as: soda, soup, juice and vegetable cans, aluminum foil without food contamination.
What cannot be recycled: aluminum foil or pie pans with food contamination.
Preparation: Rinse well and remove lids. Labels may remain.
Recyclables: newspapers and telephone directories and all inserts.
Preparation: keep dry.
Recyclables: cardboard such as: cereal, shoe, soda can, paper and detergent boxes, and brown grocery paper bags.
What cannot be recycled: pizza boxes contaminated with food or grease, milk cartons, paper plates, frozen food boxes, boxes made of wax-coated paper and boxes with foam glued to boxes.
Preparation: keep dry, flatten and place beside the plastic curbside collection container.
Recyclables: clear plastics or see-through tinted ones that are used as food containers such as opaque milk jugs, water, juice, sport drinks, and soda bottles, white plastic jugs, plastic buckets, detergent, oil, antifreeze, bleach or any container that has held a hazardous material, plastic bags (grocery, fertilizer or trash) plastic wrap, plastic food trays, Styrofoam, diapers, any of the popcorn/peanut or bubble packing material.
Recyclables: white paper, shredded white paper.
Recyclables: mixed paper such as: colored paper, lined school paper, sticky notes, junk mail, folders, and all other related papers that are not white or white shredded paper.