386th goes green with recycling program

Published Oct. 6, 2010
By Staff Sgt. Stefanie Torres
386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing is striving to go green as part of the Air Force's continuing effort to eliminate waste and become more energy efficient.

An on-base recycling program run by the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron collects more than 60 metric tons of recyclable material every month, substantially reducing the amount of trash sent to the landfill while generating profits in the process, explained Capt. Joshua Ills, 386th ECES Asset Management Flight Chief.

From May to August, the 386th AEW averaged approximately $13,000 per month in recycling income due to Airmen doing their part by disposing of plastic bottles, cardboard, aluminum cans, oil, scrap metal, toner cartridges and vehicle batteries, he said. Plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and broken-down cardboard can be deposited in the 55 green bins and white roll-off dumpsters conveniently located around the base.

"We try to recycle as much as we can," said Captain Ills. "The most important part of the program is we are doing our part for the environment. If we were just disposing of these materials, we would actually be paying out of pocket to dispose of them. This way we are actually making money and using it for our benefit."

Disposed materials are sold off base at a time when their market value is at a peak, the captain explained. The wing keeps 60 percent of the value as profit, while the recycling contractor takes a 40 percent share. Revenue generated by the program helps pay for Morale, Welfare and Readiness programs on base, he said.

Profits have been higher over the past six months because of a large amount of aluminum collected from a 386th CES tear-down project. Two sunshades used to protect aircraft from the weather were causing more harm than good after being damaged by high winds, explained Capt. Kyle Kruger, 386th ECES deputy commander.

"I suggested that a crew of 13 civil engineers from the 386th AEW go down to dismantle the shades," Capt. Kruger said. "This was the agreed best way to go. I knew the sunshade structure was made almost entirely out of aluminum, so I coordinated with Captain Ills to have the aluminum and scrap metal picked up.

"In the end, we got the job done a lot faster (than if we'd used contractors), alleviating host-nation concerns, and we even made money from the recycling."
A total of 9,473 pounds of scrap metal collected from the tear-down were valued at $4,720.