Recycling center project saves $49K

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Benjamin Sutton
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --  A team of Airmen recently designed and constructed a new recycle center building at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, saving the Air Force approximately $49,000.

The project to build the 800-foot recycle center building took more than three months to complete and is now the new administration building for the recycling program.

"Rebuilding the recycling center's main building gives employees a permanent, sustainable facility to handle the typical day-to-day operations of recyclable materials brought by base personnel," said 2nd Lt. Ryan Hoff, 366th Civil Engineer Squadron project engineer. "The Air Force is really pushing sustainability right now, and we are one of a few Air Combat Command bases to have a self-sustaining recycle center."

During the construction of the new facility, various building codes were followed as well as environmental standards throughout the undertaking of this project.

"Our CE personnel followed international building codes as well as base architectural standards," Hoff said. "Environmental flight did an excellent job ensuring we met the federal and state environmental standards."

Another standard met was an ACC mandate that the project be completed within the squadron.

"We accomplished this project 'in house' and by doing so saved a lot of money," said Hoff. "This was great practice for our Airmen who don't get enough hands-on training here at home, and it will benefit them during deployments and other expeditionary activities."

While benefitting personnel in preparation for deployments, there is one major factor which will greatly benefit the base as well. Recyclable items are sold for a profit to companies who can reuse the parts or pieces. These profits are used as funds to support the recycle center civilian employee salaries and vehicle operating expenses.

"By selling the recyclable items to local companies we are able to basically pay our salaries and other maintenance costs," said Ed Jackson, recycle program manager. "We work with the base housing office to endure the recyclable items are removed efficiently and effectively."

According to the housing office, the base has a weekly recyclable collection program in place for everyday items such as aluminum cans, plastic bottles and cardboard. There is also the opportunity to recycle larger items such as electronics, scrap wood, pallets and machines like lawnmowers.