Marines Redouble Recycling Efforts

The United States Marines’ Corps base in North Carolina is making efforts to increase and enhance its recycling efforts.

Camp Lejeune has established a goal of cutting by fifty percent the amount of waste material it disposes of in regional landfills. The base’s Environmental Management Division has teamed up with the Camp Lejeune’s 2nd Marine Logistics Group to plan, develop a strategy, and implement the new program for all those who live, work, study, and visit the base.

Gunnery Sgt. Ethan J. Mahoney is the team’s coordinator for environmental compliance. n a recent statement about the project he indicated that while many Marines grew up with recycling, and recycle when they are back home, the base has limited opportunities currently in place for recycling. The rules are vague, there aren’t any receptacles in the barracks, and there’s a great amount of uncertainty about what is expected. It is not surprising then that few participate in waste recycling efforts and that the overwhelming majority of waste ends up in the trash receptacle.

The first step in the new plan was the placement of twenty one recycling containers at key locations throughout the base with clear signs indicating what types of recyclables – plastic, glass, cardboard/paper — belong in each and the proper way to separate them. In time, the number of receptacle will increase to thirty nine and then possible move beyond that depending on their overall use.

The base plans to sell the recyclable waste material and use the revenue to fund the cost of the recycling program and additional pollution prevention programs.

The overall strategy is to carefully monitor the success and failings of the program, determine ways to increase recyclable materials as a revenue generator, and expand the program to other Marine bases across the country.

WasteCare Want You to Remember: How clear and easily accessible are your recycling containers and policies regarding waste recycling and garbage disposal? If you’re wondering why more of your employees aren’t embracing recycling initiatives  you might want to consider how you’re implementing it!