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Whiteman recycling center helps environment, funds base projects

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jason Barebo
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  As the Air Force continues its eco-friendly trend with greener fuel and power, the Recycling Center at Whiteman Air Force Base provides an alternative to throwing trash to the curb.

Located at the corner of 3rd Street and McConnell Ave. on base, the recycling center has more than 20 bins for people to drop off their recyclable material. There is also a trailer for recyclables in the Whiteman Commissary parking lot.

"We receive recyclables one of two ways," said Mr. Mark Davis, Whiteman Recycling Center material examiner. "We go to the designated drop-off points and collect them or people can bring them to our drop-off center here."

Anyone with base access can bring their recyclables to the recycling center.

The drop-off bins are separated and labeled in such a way to make sorting easier and more efficient.

"One of our biggest problems is sorting," Mr. Davis said. "People coming from other areas and overseas may have sorted their recyclable materials differently due to their local guidelines. We ask that they pay attention to the signs above each bin and ask us if they have any questions."

For each category of recyclable material there are different types that should be separated. For example, cardboard should be separated from corrugated and non-corrugated. Clear plastic bottles should be separated from colored plastic bottles.

The recycling center accepts several different materials from newspapers to scrap metals to electric motors. Appliances are also accepted, there is a $5 fee if freon was not drained.

The recycling center is open 24 hours a day for drop off, however the personnel are available from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

In addition to its more well-known environmental advantages, recycling can also be a good source of revenue.

"The recycling center pays for itself and then some," Mr. Davis said. "Once the materials are separated, processed and packaged, we store them in our warehouse and sell it off by type of material."

The recycling center processed more than 560 tons of material in Fiscal Year 08-09. The average local rate for waste disposal is $22.73 a ton, which would have cost a more than $12,000 total to be hauled away. By selling the processed recyclable materials,the recycling center made more than $52,000 for the fiscal year.

"Most of the money made from recycling is giving back to the base and used for several otherwise unfunded projects," Mr. Davis said. "Some of the more recent projects are the rubberized coating on the running track and the batting cages near the fitness center."

This year, the recycling center has received more than 225 tons of recyclable material, an increase of about 15 tons from this time last year.