Maxwell changes the way it recycles Published June 26, 2015 By Senior Airman William J. Blankenship 42nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Starting July 1, 2015, Maxwell Air Force base personnel will no longer be placing recyclable items in separate waste containers. However, this does not mean the base is abandoning its recycling efforts. In fact, Maxwell will recycle 30 percent more than it ever has. "We are currently experiencing a 40 percent recycle rate," said Edward McKay, 42nd Civil Engineer Squadron contract monitor. "Once we make the change, we will be hovering right around 70 percent of our recyclable material. The disposed items will be separated automatically and only 30 percent go into the landfill." The Advanced Mixed Materials Recovery Facility, known as IREP-Montgomery, systematically separates waste in its Montgomery, Alabama, facility. It will separate up to 95 percent of available recyclables at a rate of 30-plus tons per hour, while also recovering organic waste for composting. "This will make life easier," said McKay. "You don't have to separate anything. Just place all items in the dumpster and it will get sorted out at their facility. This is a good change. While being focused on the environment, our costs don't change, but our percentages of recyclables increases." All of the blue recycling bins on base will be removed, as well as the cardboard bins, over time from buildings that do not produce the amount that proves necessary to have them. If there are questions about the process, call 953-2298 or go to http://zerowasteenergy.com/what-we-do/our-projects/montgomery-alabama/.