Reduce, reuse, recycle: a tale of waste redemption

Published April 18, 2013
By Airman 1st Class M. Ryan Throneberry
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

JOINT BASE-MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Imagine all the forms and documents, disposable materials and other resources necessary to run the Department of Defense's only tri-service joint base. Now, imagine the amount of solid waste left behind by the 42,000 men and women who work here.

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is not immune to waste, but more than ten years ago leadership started a recycling program to decrease the amount of waste produced at what were formerly McGuire Air Force Base and Fort Dix in 2003.

The base recycling operations are vast and include sorting items, shredding paper, bailing cardboard and compacting other waste.

The abundance of paper and other wastes, such as plastic, glass, scrap metal, cardboard, toner cartridges, collected by the JB MDL Recycling Center staff has kept the staff busy, picking up and collating waste from throughout the entire joint base.

"We visit approximately 260 buildings per week," said Clarence Lewis, JB MDL Recycling Center manager. "We pick-up recyclables from 26 buildings per day at each base and process the items at the recycling center."

JB MDL is mandated by the Qualified Recycling Program to establish a program that meets the 50 percent diversion goal for non-hazardous solid waste and 60 percent diversion for constructions and demolition debris as dictated by the DOD sustainability performance plan by 2015.

The QRP requires concerted efforts to divert or recover scrap or waste from waste streams and identify, segregate and maintain the integrity of recyclable materials to maintain or enhance the marketability of the material.

The program has matured since it was implemented and recycled more than 2,000 tons of waste last year. The total amount of recyclable goods in 2012 were: cardboard 317 tons of cardboard; 174 tons of office paper; 56 tons of newspaper; 10 tons of shredded paper; 15 tons of toner cartridges and 431 tons of scrap metal.

Other recyclable items such as pallets, tires, coated wire and construction debris can be taken to the facility located at 2321 Radin Road.

Different facilities on the joint base are responsible for processing various materials.
Electronic equipment such as TVs, computers, monitors, etc., must be taken to UNICOR recycling located at 5705 Doughboy Loop. Brass recycling is processed through Defense Logistics Agency/Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office. Used oil recycling is managed at the hazardous waste facility and other used oil tanks located at various locations here, said Charanjit Gill, 87th Civil Engineer Squadron pollution prevention branch supervisor.

While the recycling program here helps defer large amounts of waste from ending up in landfills, it also generates revenue for the installation.

The JB MDL recycling program provides an annual savings of more than $230,000 with the current landfill solid waste disposal cost at approximately $73 per ton and a refuse collection and hauling cost of approximately $30 per ton.

"All money generated from selling JB MDL's recycled materials is used to defray the cost of the recycling programs," said Gill. "Any excess money is used to fund environmental projects, recreational equipment, services and events which might not otherwise be funded. Solid waste disposal costs are avoided when materials are recycled."

The recycling program generates approximately $20,000 monthly in proceeds. The recycling center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Note: The recycle operation at Lakehurst operates under a separate civilian and military contract.

(Editor's note: Information in this article was taken from Pascual Flores.)

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Reduce, reuse, recycle: a tale of waste redemption