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Recycling: closing the loop

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Taylor Bourgeous
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  While many people may think recycling is simply throwing recyclable materials into a blue bin, Diane Wulf, 92nd Civil Engineer Squadron pollution prevention program manager, points out that it's much more than that - it's also about what happens after you put it in the bin.

After items are put into the blue bin they are sent to a recycling facility and then sent off to a manufacturer to be made into something new. Wulf said in order for us to close the recycling loop, we need to buy those new recycled products.

By using recycled products we are helping conserve natural resources. By taking new products that have been created from something used, it helps save money and time, explained Wulf.

"We are supposed to make every effort we can to buy recycled items," said Wulf. "We have a supply store on base and they stock a lot of items that meet all requirements given by the Environmental Protection Agency."

The EPA gives lists of what products federal agencies should be using and lists requirements all purchased materials must meet, such as paper products, construction products and non-paper products. If federal money is being used, the guidelines and requirements must be followed.

For more information visit: http://www3.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/tools/cpg/index.htm