One of the most interesting aspects of going around the state and talking to people in the recycling business is that it affords me with the opportunity not only to meet great individuals, but also to bring their success stories to this web page to inspire and enable others to pattern themselves and their programs on a successful model.
One
of the most successful county recycling programs in Pennsylvania
is that of Centre County. A big reason for the program’s
success is Joanne Shafer, Centre County’s Recycling Coordinator,
gracious host, human dynamo, and dedicated recycling professional.
Joanne can trace her recycling roots back to the first Earth Day
celebration in 1970 when she was in public school in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Since that time she has been committed to conserving our resources
and improving the planet.
Joanne’s first job in the recycling industry was as Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania’s Recycling Coordinator in the late 1970’s. Although there was a detour of several years into the private work sector, Joanne rejoined the public sector as the grants writer for Centre County in 1990 and soon was promoted to recycling coordinator.
As
I toured the recycling facility with Joanne I learned how much
of the facility’s buildings were built with recycled materials.
Amazingly, of the old facilities that were deconstructed, rehabilitated,
renovated and/or reconstructed to complete the new Administration
Building, Education Center, Recycling Facility and Vehicle Maintenance
Facility, only 750 pounds of material was taken to the landfill.
All other materials from the old buildings were modified, reconstructed
and reused. And after learning about and looking at the cabinets
made from pressed wheat and straw and covered with vinyl, the
countertops made from recycled PET, the recycled wall board, the
carpets made from recycled soda bottles, the ceiling tiles made
from recycled paper, the concrete building blocks made using fly
ash, the parking lot made utilizing recycled asphalt, the furniture
and paneling made from the trees cut down to put in the new access
road, it is just an incredible testimony to Centre County’s
commitment to not only recycling but purchasing materials made
from recycled feedstock
The
commitment of Centre County to recycling is also evidenced by
the 100 drop-off locations utilized by the county in addition
to the curbside pickup programs. The interest in recycling that
this commitment has generated is testified to by: the 3500+ Pennsylvania
schoolchildren that tour the facility in an average year; the
visitors from Norway, India, Turkey, Pakistan, England, and Kazakhstan
that have visited the facility in the last 6 months alone; and
the numerous tours given to Rotary Clubs, Women’s Clubs,
the Governor’s School and many others.
When Joanne is not giving tours or supervising her staff of
40 municipal employees she finds the time to compile and send
a monthly report to every participating municipality concerning
the quality of their recyclables; such as amount and contamination.
She is also an active member in many recycling organizations and
advisory committees. Joanne adds, "You have to have a passion
and a sense of humor to be successful in this job". I would
add you have to work hard as well. As an important part of the
Centre County Solid Waste Authority that processes over 11,000
tons of recyclables a year and transfers over 90,000 tons of municipal
solid
waste, hard work is a necessity. The humor aspect comes into play
such as the time when someone called to ask her advice on how
to recycle a casket, or the day a full-size doll was found at
the transfer station and the first reaction was: ‘there’s
a body in the pit’ or when a Centre County Solid Waste Authority
member found a 16 foot drop-off recycling container on his front
lawn announcing wedding congratulations. It was delivered while
he was on his way to the church and as he passed it wondered if
a new driver was on the route as no drop-off containers are stationed
where he lives. The wedding congratulations were on the other
side. Needless to say, the bottles from his reception were recycled!
This is the second in a series of articles featuring the movers and shakers in the recycling field in Pennsylvania. If you have any questions or comments on this story or anything else having to do with recycling in Pennsylvania please call us at 717-787-7382.