News

Recycling: Every Airman must do their part

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Zachary Cacicia
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  For an Airman, the word "Recycle" may have some negative connotations due to its usage during their Basic Military Training and technical school for being washed back. But in reality, whether it is glass bottles, aluminum cans, cardboard boxes or old light bulbs, recycling is crucial to preserving the environment and it falls on every Team Dover Airman to do their part.

Friday, April 22, 2016, marks the annual celebration of Earth Day and Team Dover wants to remind you that it is up to all Team Dover personnel to do their part by recycling.

The Dover AFB Recycling Center is responsible for collecting recyclable materials on base. But it is up to the individual Airman to throw recyclable materials in the appropriate disposal containers, not the regular trash.

"We recycle all metals and wood, paper, to include shredded and non-shredded, cardboard, any plastic, soda cans, glass, old electronics and rubber," said Deral Freysinger, 436th Civil Engineer Squadron environmental protection specialist. "The important thing is that people need to be aware that recycling is mandatory on base."

Examples of materials and items that cannot be recycled on base include Styrofoam and furniture. Furniture and equipment must first go through the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO) for evaluation to determine if it is still serviceable.

Besides the well-known recyclable materials such as metal and glass, batteries of all types and light bulbs of all types must be stored separately in special containers and taken to the Hazardous Waste Storage Facility. This is due to the chemicals and materials that these items are made of.

"We have light bulb containers and battery buckets in each facility, and the facility managers are responsible for them being collected," said Ken Polinski, HazTrain environmental technician, who is a contractor on base. "We encourage everyone to be aware of these containers and to let us know if they need to be picked up."

If you have any questions on the location of recycle containers in your facility or workplace, please contact your facility manager.

If you have any questions on what you can and cannot recycle, or proper recycling procedures, please contact Deral Freysinger at the Dover AFB Recycling Center at (302) 677-4508. The Recycling Center, Building 650, is open for drop-offs every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It is requested that you see the on-site manager prior to dropping recyclable goods into dumpsters. Any questions concerning battery and light bulb disposal, please contact Ken Polinski at (302) 677-6845. The Hazardous Waste Storage Facility, Building 1306, is open for drop-offs every Thursday from 1 to 3 p.m. Furthermore, recyclable materials from private homes can also be recycled on base, but regular trash will not be accepted.