Recycling on Andersen steadily improving

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Carissa Wolff
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  Six months after the 96-gallon totes were put into base housing, the number of participants recycling on base is still increasing.

To make recycling easier, Team Andersen procured 96-gallon 'blue' recycling bins for use by all Military Family Housing residents. With the new bins residents do not need to sort recyclable materials, just place all items in your recycling bin, which Lisa Collins, wife of Master Sgt. Edward Collins, 554th RED HORSE Squadron, finds easier to do.

"Recycling is much more convenient with the blue bins," said Ms. Collins. "It's so easy with the blue bins, because you just take all of your recyclables and toss them in. There's no more sorting into categories and no more worry about all your recyclable materials getting blown out of the small bins."

According to the Arc Light Recycling Center on base the recycling in housing has gone up three-times the normal in base housing since the 96-gallon totes have be implemented. Before the blue bins were put into housing the participation rate of tenants recycling was roughly 25 percent. Now the participation is upwards of 60 percent, said Joe Ieisaiar, employee of the Arc Light Recycling Center.

The U.S. Air Force has a strong belief in recycling with the non-hazardous solid waste diversion goal percentage without including construction and demolition debris is 40% by 2010.

"We can really set the standard for what recycling should be like in the civilian sector," Ms. Collins said. "It's our duty as a base and as military members to be good stewards of the environment and set the standard."

So what can the base recycle? Team Andersen currently recycles aluminum cans, plastic bottles (triangle 1 and 2), glass, cardboard, mixed paper, newsprint and magazines.

Off-base residents and the general base populace can drop off their recyclables at the Arc Light Recycling Center just inside the main gate or drop them off at recycling bins across the base. The recycling center is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and they have a 24-hour drop off station outside their gates. For more information about Andersen recycling contact the Arc Light Recycling Center at 366-1477.

Recycling Tips

Do: Rinse containers (labels may remain on) and keep items for recycling separate from garbage
Don't: Recycle any item contaminated with food

Do: Recycle clear, brown, green, or blue glass such as juice bottles, beer and wine bottles, mayonnaise jars, and baby food jars
Don't: Recycle light bulbs, crystal, coffee mugs, ovenware, clay flowerpots, or plates

Do: Recycle aluminum cans that hold soda, soup, juice or vegetables, and aluminum foil not contaminated by food
Don't: Recycle aerosol cans, steel cans, or aluminum foil or pie plates contaminated by food

Do: Recycle all mixed office paper and newspaper
Don't: Recycle any paper with adhesive (e.g., sticky notes), paper towels, or paper napkins

Do: Recycle cardboard (PCS moving boxes, cereal boxes, shoe boxes, paper boxes, detergent boxes) and grocery bags
Don't: Recycle any cardboard that is saturated with water or is contaminated by food or oil