FORT CAMPBELL, Kentucky (April 14, 2016) -- It is common knowledge that recycling is good for the environment, but fewer realize recycling is good for Fort Campbell fiscally as well.
"A few years ago, the federal government came out and they said, 'Hey look, if you run on your military installation a qualified recycle program, we will allow you to recycle and reap the profits of certain pieces of no longer usable military equipment,'" explained Rob Anderson, Qualified Recycle Program manager.
Before the QRP, the post was responsible for the sorting and collecting of waste and recyclables, so any money earned from recycling went right back into collection. Now Installation Management Command pays for collection, allowing installations to keep any profit from the recycling program.
Things like printer cartridges, scrap metal, motor oil, used batteries, scraps from the ranges -- including brass casings from .50 caliber and below and ammo cans -- are just a few of the things that the QRP can collect money from recycling.
"We try to make it easy for everybody," Anderson said. "In the waste contract it's stipulated for the contractor to come by your offices and pick up your blue carts once a week with your office papers in it, along with the cardboard container sitting out on the street. That takes care of most people."
Recycling cardboard and paper is mandatory on Fort Campbell. For everything else, there is the Recycling Convenience Center at the intersection of Airborne Street and A Shau Valley Road.
"Offices may collect plastic bottles and aluminum cans, we collect those at the convenience center," Anderson said. "We also collect scrap metal at the convenience center. We also collect Freon items over there and Ewaste."
E-waste is old technology -- computers, printers, copiers, televisions, etc. -- that has been properly wiped and is no longer on any inventory. Rather than throwing out the technology, QRP ships it off to be recycled.
Last year, Fort Campbell earned $1.7 million through QRP that was allocated back into the community through requests to the QRP committee. The committee is chaired by the garrison commander and meets four times a year to review requests.
"Within certain legal limits, organizations across the installation can come to us and ask for some money to do different things," Anderson said. "Again, it has to meet a legal review. [It has to] fall under pollution prevention, energy conservation, recycling or OSHA."
If the request meets all legal requirements, requesters can present their case to the QRP committee. Recently, the QRP approved a request from Morale, Welfare and Recreation for $250,000 for this year's Independence Day celebration, but Anderson said MWR also receives money for things like renovating restaurants and recreation facilities across post.
"If it wasn't for the recycle money, they would be doing paintball out there, hiding behind trees because they wouldn't have money to erect the structures or take care of them out there," Anderson said.
In addition to making the post money, it saves Fort Campbell money that used to be spent on waste disposal.
"We also have to meet an executive order of 50 percent of the waste that leaves Fort Campbell has to be recycled," Anderson said.
Fort Campbell exports between 700 and 800 pounds of trash a month. In order to comply with the order, the post must also recycle a minimum of between 350 and 400 pounds. In 2020, that amount will begin to increase again with an end goal of Net Zero by around 2030.
Currently, the post hits between 46 and 49 percent recycling each month.
The Recycling Convenience Center is open to everyone, not just military personnel, but Anderson said people have to be sure not to bring any hazardous waste onto the post with their recyclables.
"Fort Campbell is categorized by the states of Tennessee and Kentucky as an industrial site so we're subject to state inspectors who come on here and take a look and see what we've got," he said. "Anything that enters the installation, Fort Campbell is responsible for. So I don't want anybody's hazardous waste brought on. I don't want anybody's off post trash brought on -- that's called theft of service, plus that eats into my diversion rate."
Improperly disposed of hazardous items discovered by state inspectors could cost Fort Campbell $37,500 per item per day.
Household hazardous waste includes cleaners, paints and petroleum like oils, lubricants, solvents and paint thinner.
Most disposal procedures can be found in the environmental handbook, but Anderson said anyone uncertain of what to do with waste is welcome to call his office at 270-798-9618.
"We don't just leave Soldiers hanging and say, 'Hey, that can't go in there,'" Anderson said.
The recycling center is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday and from noon until 4 p.m. Sundays.
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