MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Hawaii -- Jim Sibert is usually down in the dumps most days, but luckily that is his job.
Sibert turns trash into treasure as the manager of the Recycling Center at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. He made more than $400,000 in 2006 for the base from selling discarded scrap metal, paper and other items meant for disposal.
Funding the program from its profits, the recycling center manager said his goal is safeguarding the environment.
“Working in the environmental department makes it clear that I have different motivations in running recycling operations,” he said. “I’m not out only to make or save money. I’m able to do the right thing by protecting the environmental controls the Marine Corps has established.”
Visitors to the Recycling Center here may notice Sibert’s office is cooled by refurbished air conditioners someone else threw away. Outside his office stands Can Man, a robot he designed for boys and girls who tour the center.
Children throw crushed cans into the giant robot’s belly to see if they can get Can Man’s eyes to light up and sound the buzzer. The metal goliath was created from recycled materials and uses a renewable battery for power.
“Children are the future of recycling,” said Sibert. “It’s always a good idea to get them into it while they’re young.”
He attributes his success to his former career as a loadmaster with the Air Force at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu. The retired master sergeant said he used his logistics experience to ensure more efficient shipping for the center.
Sibert’s tactics, which include continuous reloading and maximizing trucking capacity, add up to faster, full recycling transport trucks. He said making Kaneohe Bay the central point on Oahu for collecting spent brass shells works well, and recycling dealers pay more for materials in large quantities.
“Jim’s taken more control than other managers I’ve worked with,” said Mike Miranda, motor vehicle operator, Recycling Center, Environmental Department. “He’s always looking for how we can improve our program. When we first started out, we’d have to get the Motor Pool to haul things like aluminum to Pearl Harbor. We rarely made a profit.”
Recycling dealers also pay more for “less contaminated” products, and Sibert said he’s adopted better methods of collecting materials.
The Recycling Center now provides collection bins with labels outlining what is accepted, and people dropping off materials can sort through their items.
For example, certain items such as colored sticky notes attached to recyclable white paper, could drastically reduce the product’s usability and value. Thin cardstock beer boxes mixed in with regular cardboard could reduce the cardboard’s value from $51 per ton to just $5 per ton, said the recycling center manager.
Sibert said having the public involved saves sorting time and produces better quality materials.
“It’s a relaxed atmosphere at the Recycling Center,” said Miranda. “He’s less of a micro-manager, and he trusts us to do our jobs. I’m amazed at how much he’s been able to automate everything so we can focus on other important tasks.”
Self-described as the “recycling guru,” Sibert said public education of the recycling process is important for the program’s continued success.
“He’s very professional,” said Gunnery Sgt. Paul Harvey, base inspector. “He’s always there to answer any questions we have about where things should go.”
Sibert’s assistance in planning results in few delays during Pride Day, said the base inspector. Working party crews can ask for the recycling manager’s help if they uncover anything unusual while cleaning the base.
“During Pride Day planning meetings he’s very articulate to the commands,” said Harvey. “There’s no dispute about what happens to collected loads when they come in.”
Looking to expand the Recycling Center’s projects, Sibert said he would like to increase the base’s H-Power or energy created from burning leftover trash. His current projects include recovering aluminum from F-4 training planes at the base unused since 1986.
The project Sibert said he’s most excited about is buying 35 new picnic tables for K-Bay made from recycled plastic. The 8-foot recycled tables are scheduled to arrive in June and will be placed near unit working areas.
The tables will be red and yellow for Marine units. Sailors can enjoy blue and white tables outside of their commands. The recycling center manager said it’s a great feeling to give back to the recyclers who are crucial in saving the environment.
“If there isn’t a market for the materials we’re generating – then no one’s going to buy it,” said Sibert. “I’m buying recycled products with recycling money, and we’re putting money back into the recycling process by establishing a need for the materials.”
To learn more about recycling at Kaneohe Bay, log on to: http://www.mcbh.usmc. mil/g4/environ/envrecycle.htm.