Civil servants encouraged to recycle at work

(CNS): Over 600 government workers located at the Government Administration Building (GAB) are being encouraged to help the environment by recycling cans in 30 containers now placed in government offices. Officials said the small green recycling containers will be cleared daily and emptied in DoEH’s large blue container now located outside the building. Facility Manager Richard Sanfilippo said that around 700 cans are expected to be collected each day some 200,000 cans per year. He added that it was a positive move that would reduce the impact on the George Town landfill.

“The benefits of recycling include conserving energy, since it requires less to produce new products from recycled materials. It saves natural resources are in limited supply, and some of our resources are becoming irreplaceable,” Sanfilippo said. He also noted the GAB is a purpose-built green building and as such, government should take the lead in operating this type of recycling programme.

Sanfilippo said he hoped that government employees will even bring cans from home to recycle and spoke about his hopes for more recycling programmes to include white paper and plastics as well as an expanded programme of recycling containers in other government buildings.

Although Cayman has lagged behind when it comes to recycling and still has an exceptionally small programme the DoEH Director Roydell Carter said his department collected around 3.11 tons (6,220 lbs.) of aluminum cans this year. The cans which would otherwise have ended up in the landfill were shipped off island after being collected at the eight sites on Grand Cayman.

Deputy Premier and Minister of District Administration, Works, Land and Agriculture Juliana O’Conner- Connolly praised the efforts of those involved in the recycling initiative. “From an economic and environmental standpoint, recycling makes absolute sense. We are keen to encourage people to livein tighter communities and for everyone to do their part, so we can leave some natural beauty for many generations to come.”

As well as aluminum cans, the DoEH’s limited recycle programme includes used motor oil and lead acid batteries, as well as natural Christmas trees each January. Residents can join the limited recycling effort by placing used motor oil in clean plastic containers and taking them to the designated landfill drop-off area; by purchasing drinks packaged in aluminum cans instead of plastic, and by dropping off used cans at the big blue bins marked ‘ALUMINIUM CANS ONLY’ located at the supermarkets.

Currently, aluminum collection bins are located at the following sites:
West Bay–Foster’s Republix
Seven Mile Beach WB–Foster’s at the Strand (behind the beauty salon)
George Town–St Ignatius School
George Town–Foster’s at the Airport Centre
George Town–Kirk Supermarket
Prospect Area GT–Hurley’s Grand Harbour
Savannah/Bodden Town–Foster’s Countryside (behind the beauty salon)
North Side–North Side Civic Centre