FORT HOOD, TX — Contaminated materials at the Fort Hood Recycling plant is posing a hazard.
“We’re seeing needles, sharps, we’re seeing ammunition, diapers,” said Michael Bush, Fort Hood Recycle, Program Manager. “We’ve found dead deer, deer heads, goat heads, ducks. Something a hunter might have and they don’t have any use for the carcass so they throw them in the recycle container,” he continued.
Materials are sorted by workers who will handle whatever is tossed in with the recycling.
“If someone were to get stuck with a needle, that’s just an unsafe environment,” Bush said.
Aside from safety concerns, it also slows down production.
“We have to stop the operation to clean up the mess, that takes away time from producing product,” Bush said.
Managers urge consumers to be careful and considerate when putting products in the bins.
“Single stream recycling doesn’t mean everything goes into the container. It’s only recyclable material we accept. And it’s very important for everyone to do their part,” Bush said.
The facility collected 6,519 tons of materials last year and sold over 6,000 tons.
Fort Hood is one of the few military installations that have their own landfill. Recycling helps extend the life of the dump. It also generates revenue. After covering the cost of operation, that money goes back to the post for projects like the Fourth of July fireworks.
