Luke member receives recycling award

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class David Owsianka
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  A 56th Civil Engineer Squadron member recently received the Arizona Recycler of the Year Award for municipalities and government entities.

Teresa Wesley, 56th CES environmental protection assistant, helps Luke Air Force Base by tracking and monitoring the industrial use of hazardous materials.

"Ms. Wesley was nominated for the award because over the past couple of years she has helped our program mature to where recycling is more of a culture at Luke," said Oscar Mabry, 56th CES Material Management chief.

Ms. Wesley reviews and processes more than 100 hazardous material records monthly to ensure Luke meets the green procurement requirements and identifies environmental friendly products used in various processes across the base.

Due to the joint effort between Ms. Wesley and Mr. Mabry, the program was able to recycle almost 5,000 tons of solid waste that avoided the landfill and was or will be reused at Luke.

"The recycle program is an educational and awareness program to help people know how to buy green and better recycle," Mr. Mabry said.

Ms. Wesley had many key accomplishments that helped Luke's qualified recycling program become successful.

She developed the Luke AFB "Green Room" for pollution prevention education and awareness; all of the materials in the room, including educational and promotional items, furniture, and structural paintings, are reused items or items made from recycled materials.

Ms. Wesley built partnerships with Valley Wide Recycling Partnership, Tres Rios Nature and Earth Festival, Arizona Fish and Game and Arizona Recycling Coalition, as well as taking part in outreach and education events.

Ms. Wesley also instituted an aggressive recycling program reissuing more than 300 ink and toner cartridges that saved Luke about $40,000, helped recycle 41 tons of scrap wood, and diverted 3 tons of alkaline batteries.

"I hope that what we have recently done with the program can be an example for other Luke members to recycle more often to help Luke become a better place," Ms. Wesley said.

For more information on how to recycle at Luke, call Ms. Wesley at (623) 856-4749.