Improving recycling habits

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Deana Heitzman
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  Figuring out when and where to properly dispose of trash can be confusing for Team Aviano members new to living overseas, tempting some to throw away household trash on base.

Doing so, however, violates strict contract guidelines for on-base recycling and waste disposal, which is funded by the government to support day-to-day base operations and maintenance.

"It is a waste and abuse of government funds to support the disposal of personal refuse generated off base," said Ted Dyer, 31st Civil Engineering Squadron service contracts chief.

Communities where Team Aviano members reside have different recycling policies and procedures for discarding unwanted items. They are given pamphlets or booklets with trash pick-up dates, times and locations. This information is critical to preventing trash built-up or improper waste disposal. Various trash bins are placed throughout each community to separate glass, aluminum, plastic, paper, cardboard, wet and mixed wastes. Service members may also be given individual containers to separate trash in their homes.

According to Giovanna Coppola, 31st CES community recycling liaison, it is important to stay on top of recycling and trash pick-up dates and recommends calling the recycling office or visiting Aviano recycling webpage the most up-to-date information.

For those looking to dispose of larger bulk items such as furniture and some household appliances, Airmen and families can take advantage of the ecological platforms located in most towns. While the sites are only open during certain days and times, disposing of these items into designated bins is free to use. However, ecological platforms are not designed to accept day-to-day trash, only certain bulk items. Bulk item pick up service can be requested in communities where it is available by calling Giovanna. 

"Disposing wet and dry waste at the ecological platform is forbidden," said Coppola. "Every town has a certain collection date and it is important to know that some community's wet waste, paper and cardboard, plastic and cans is a door-to-door service while in other communities it must be disposed of in the proper public designated dumpsters."

New Airmen and their families may not realize that in Italy, recycling is required by law and knowing correct procedures and locations for trash can prevent costly fines and legal actions for service members.

"Improper off-base dumping, waste abandonment and improperly sorted waste is considered an administrative violation by the local police and will have to alert the violator's chain of command," said Coppola. "After the violator is informed, they have to confirm they are available to explain their situation on the date and time reported on the notification. If the violator is not available, they have a chance to send me an email with a reasonable justification. If by the second notification a justification is not provided, the Local Police Command will send the violation to the judicial court and the violator will be punished by law.""

Just as conducting productive off-base behavior is critical to positive Italian relations, performing proper recycling procedures on- and off-base is important to fiscal efficiency.

For more information about on- and off-base recycling, click here or call the BRC at 632-5770.