Rejuvenation of Base Recycling Program at Tinker AFB

Tinker Air Force Base (AFB)'s solid waste/recycling team revised its stagnant recycling program to become a comprehensive success. Previously, Tinker AFB fell below the DOD's mandated solid waste goals of 40 percent diversion (recycle/ reuse). The base made administrative changes and undertook new activities in order to revive and expand the program. Changes included purchasing new collection containers for white paper, creating a written recycling policy, purchasing new, color-coded curbside collection bins for various recyclables, and distributing information fliers to base residents. It is now mandatory that white paper and corrugated be recycled in all base industrial facilities, and recycling is included in base training programs. Also, Tinker's solid waste/recycling team expanded its recycling efforts to include wooden pallet recycling and construction and demolition debris recycling.

The goal of this program is to reduce waste and encourage recycling at Tinker Air Force Base.

White paper recycling increased by 120 percent, which returned $3,000 per month in recycling revenue. Overall, the solid waste diversion rate has increased from approximately 30 percent to 47 percent, which is well above the DOD's goal.