Recycling center shares best practices with others

By Jessica Healey, Fort Riley Public AffairsNovember 25, 2014

Recycling center shares best practices with others
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Recycling center shares best practices with others
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Recycling center shares best practices with others
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FORT RILEY, Kan. -- Trash and waste products were the focus of a recent tour at Fort Riley.

Members of the Solid Waste Management Conference toured Fort Riley's recycling facilities Nov. 19 to see the program's practices and exchange ideas.

"A tour like this gives the participants a chance to ask the facility operators pretty detailed and specific questions, such as where do you sell your cardboard (and) what do you do with your glass," said Kathy Richardson, manager, Solid Waste Division, Lawrence, Kansas.

The tour included Fort Riley's main recycling facility, the Environmental Waste Management Center, Hazardous Material Processing Center and the C and D landfill.

"Fort Riley has many different types of facilities located close by, so we get to see not just the recycling process, but also see some of the hazardous waste-disposal side," Richardson said. "We've heard good things about the programs here and the information they can provide from others who have visited."

Solid waste managers, supervisors and operators from across Kansas attended the annual conference and toured the facility as part of the program.

The hope is for those on the tour to gain ideas to take back home and implement, if possible, Richardson added.

"It's good to have tours like this to get the information out there," said Janet Schaad, administrative support assistant, Fort Riley Recycling Center, Pollution Prevention Branch, Environmental Division, Directorate of Public Works.

"The more we can spread the word about what our facility does and everything we do here, the more it's going benefit us," she said. "That goes on to benefit Fort Riley, as well as the Soldiers and families."

The recycling center and program still operate within the state and federal laws just like the conference members, Schaad explained. There is knowledge to be shared between everyone.

"They give us ideas, and we can give them ideas," she said. "That exchange creates a strong community tie with our neighbors."