Recycling center moves to new home

  • Published
  • By Barbara Fisher
  • 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  The Base Recycling Center made a PCS (permanent change of station) move recently to a new home off Balmer Street, across from The Log Cabin and near the Lemon Lot and Outdoor Recreation Tickets & Travel.

This new location is closer to base housing and more visible to residents and employees (see map). It is also adjacent to the Qualified Recycling Program Facility that handles recycling the base’s industrial waste.

“We wanted to provide a more convenient location for residents and base employees to recycle,” said Krista Ligman, community planner for 75th Civil Engineer Group. “This new location gives great accessibility and visibility to the recycling program and makes better use of the land on the base.”

Anyone living and/or working on base can use this free recycling facility. Housing residents can bring in their recyclable items, while base employees can bring in office recyclables, but not personal or household items. Items that can be recycled include:

    • All paper, newsprint, office paper
    • Plastic bottles and containers
    • Cardboard
    • Fiberboard
    • Glass
    • Aluminum cans

Rules for using the facility are simple: Keep the dumpster lids closed, secure material in bags, and, if possible, try not to break the glass being recycled.

“We all know how windy it can get here, so if items are not secured they can blow around and potentially cause damage,” Ligman said. “Keeping your items secured will help keep the base clean, help with processing the material and keep overall costs down.”

This area is for recyclable materials only, Ligman added, not trash.

“Do not drop off used tires, old furniture, etc.,” she said.

Household hazardous waste is also not accepted. This type of waste includes e-waste (computer monitors, hard drives, televisions, stereo equipment, VCRs, fax machines, cell phones and electronic games, etc.), paint, varnish, pesticides, lawn care products, aerosols, paint thinner, cleaning items, automotive products, rechargeable and lead acid batteries in household quantities.

Household hazardous waste items can be taken to Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District’s Household Hazardous Waste Facility located at the Davis Landfill in Layton, east of the base off of Highway 193. For more information about the landfill or recycling household hazardous waste, see: www.wasatchintegrated.org or call (801) 614-5600.

The base does pay to remove the paper, plastic, etc. to a facility for recycling, but does make money from recycling industrial waste through the QRP program.

The QRP program recycles scrap metal -- steel, brass, copper and aluminum – spent lead acid batteries and used oil from Hill AFB industrial processes. QRP money earned is used for other base environmental projects, such as a waste compactors and non-solvent parts washers, or used in morale, welfare and recreation programs.

The QRP program is also easy to use, said Nelson Bowen, who works with the 75th CEG’s Environmental Division.

“There’s no paperwork required and our QRP team picks up,” Bowen said. “QRP also offers 1- and 2-cubic-yard dumpsters and other containers to collect scrap. Just call 586-3588.”

Bowen said facility mangers throughout the base are also organizing recycling in their own buildings to recycle paper and to reduce the base’s waste going to landfills and waste management areas.

“As Airmen, we are tasked with protecting the environment, in addition to the jobs we do every day,” Ligman said. “By providing convenient recycling services to the base, we are providing an opportunity for everyone to do their part. We hope everyone will use it.”