Service members on Okinawa strive to reduce waste through recycling

Photo By 94th Airlift Wing | Lance Cpl. Jacob Magee puts an empty can into the recycling bin Nov. 21 aboard Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan. Recycling efforts benefit the environment by keeping waste to a minimum. Approximately $225,000 dollars was distributed between seven camps under Marine Corps Installations Pacific through the Qualified Recycling Program. Each camp received approximately $32,000 of the $225,000 that Marine Corps Installations Pacific saved by recycling. Magee is an intelligence specialist with 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Douglas D. Simons/Released)  

CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JAPAN

11.30.2015

Courtesy Story

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP FOSTER, Japan - Since 2007, Marine Corps Installations Pacific has been saving resources and energy by participating in the Qualified Recycling Program.

The program aims to reduce the amount of waste deposited into landfills by Marine Corps Installations Pacific according to Sean Cohen, the warehouse work leader for the QRP.

“To limit the amount of waste we put into landfills, we must recycle as much as possible to save money, energy and the environment,” said Cohen.

In fiscal year 2015, approximately 23,995 tons of solid waste was collected, 40.19 percent of which was recycled, earning a total revenue of approximately $1,195,000.

It is easy to recycle until there’s tons of waste to sort through, according to Tahoru Takushi, the former Qualified Recycling Program manager.

“If everyone just took the extra time to peel off the labels and sort the products into separate bags, it would make our jobs easier,” said Takushi. “It’s impossible for a few people to sort through tons of waste and do what should have been done already.”

In fiscal year 2014, the total percentage of waste sent to the recycling center as opposed to disposal as waste in landfills was over 82 percent, a 16 percent increase from fiscal year 2013.

Everyone should be recycling because it’s the right thing to do, but the QRP also offers incentives for the camps to recycle according to Cohen.

“Marine Corps bases receive money for their recycling efforts,” said Cohen. “Depending on how much they recycle and how well they do it, we make sure a portion of the money gets back to them to be used for whatever they want.”

Recycling does much more than help us save money and help the environment, according to Takushi.

“We need to be good neighbors,” said Takushi. “Everyone else out in town has to recycle, so we need to do our part to help them out. This keeps our relationship with Okinawa healthy.”

• Date Taken: 11.30.2015
• Date Posted: 12.07.2015 01:28
• Story ID: 183068
• Location: CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JP