Prior to the establishment of a recycling program at the Glynco campus in Georgia, the only recyclables being captured were brass casings generated from firearms training, scrap metal from automotive and facility repairs, and non-serviceable machinery and appliances. The paper targets, cardboard target backers, plastic ammunition trays and paperboard ammunition boxes were all tossed into the trash dumpster and hauled to the local landfill for disposal.
This process was negative for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) in more ways than one. Continued disposal of these items into the landfill was both contrary to good environmental practice as well as a hindrance to the FLETC meeting the 15 percent solid waste diversion rate mandated by Executive Order 13514 "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance."
Accordingly, a paradigm shift was required. The shift was from thinking all the solid waste generated from firearms training was "trash" and should be discarded as such to thinking those items contained "value" in the recycling marketplace. This shift in thinking also anticipates that the FLETC would be able to reduce the associated disposal costs listed below.
The costs associated with the traditional disposal manner were not just in dollars, but also in training time lost while students were carrying used targets, target backers and ammunition trays and boxes to the dumpster at the end of a training period. In addition, there were the costs associated with:
- Cost of dumpster rental, and
- Cost of depositing the solid waste generated from the firearms ranges into the local landfill.
The shift in thinking began in earnest in November 2013, when the FLETC's Assets and Logistics Management Division (ALM) in collaboration with the Firearms Division and Sustainability Officer initiated a pilot recycling project on two firearms ranges. During the pilot project, ALM personnel placed collection carts on each range for targets, target backers, ammunition trays and paperboard boxes. Instructors were asked to have students place expended targets and target backers, trays and boxes in the appropriately labeled cart. During breaks in training, ALM personnel collected the collected materials and transported them to another location for processing. Processing included separating the paper targets from the cardboard backers as each commodity has a different market value and then baling the materials for sale.
As that process was refined, plastic trays holding individual rounds of ammunition needed to be sorted based on the type of plastic used in their manufacture. Research showed that these plastics actually had greater monetary value than the paper and cardboard commodities. The plastic tray inserts at the time had a market value ranging from 23 cents to 30 cents per pound based on the type of plastic. The FLETC ammunition tray inserts are comprised primarily of polystyrene, polypropylene, and polyethylene plastics.
Of the eight categories of solid waste generated from FLETC law enforcement firearms training, 100% of the waste is now being recycled and is generating a revenue stream to sustain the FLETC recycling program. This is a significant accomplishment in that prior to the concerted recycling effort, the FLETC was paying to have these items removed from the Center and placed in a local landfill or a contractor was being paid to dispose of the commodities as hazardous material such as the lead bullets and frangible bullet dust.
In just a year after the pilot was initiated, ALM was collecting and processing approximately 1,200 pounds of cardboard per day. Of that total, approximately 97% is collected from the firearms ranges. The remaining 3% is collected from the cafeteria and the student store.
The ALM works in concert with the Sustainability Officer to make carefully thought-out decisions as to which commodity will be added to the recycling program, not only as an additional revenue stream, but also as a cost avoidance due to not paying for its disposal either as a hazardous waste or as solid waste into the local landfill.
To date, the FLETC recycling program has collected and sold 142,280 pounds of cardboard, 20,420 pounds of standard office paper, 20,000 pounds of paperboard and mixed paper, and 40,529 pounds of plastic ammunition inserts and expended toner cartridges. This is a total of 223,229 pounds of solid waste that was previously destined for the local landfill. The change in procedure discussed above has generated approximately $26,111.15 in new revenue, which is an estimated 25% of the estimated revenue FLETC will generate when it acquires a full-sized baler capable of making commercial sized recycling bales. This issue will be corrected when the program moves into a permanent Recycling Center that will allow for larger and more efficient equipment to be installed and utilized.
In addition, the FLETC recycling program has assisted the FLETC's Environmental Division by taking over responsibility for disposal of non-toxic copper and zinc dust collected from the non-lead firing ranges. In the past, this dust was processed by a hazardous waste contractor, but with the creation of a recycling program it made better business sense for this material to be disposed of as a recyclable commodity. On December 4, 2014, the FLETC sold 38,720 pounds of this material receiving a net of $30,972.80 from the sale.
In Summary, the FLETC recycling program has been launched with resounding success and continues to expand in a methodical and sustainable manner. The FLETC's Partner Organizations have embraced the program and they participate by notifying the Recycling Coordinator when they have commodities to be recycled.
