Bellevue mayor discusses recycling with international military officials
Published 11:20 am Monday, May 13, 2013
Bellevue Mayor Conrad Lee was one of several officials to speak at a the National Defense University’s International Fellow Program on May 3 in Seattle.The study trips are designed to help give 60 high-ranking military officials from around the world a comprehensive understanding of U.S. society, culture, history, government and environmental stewardship.
Lee talked about thebenefits of sustainability at Republic Services’ high-tech recycling facility, located at 3rd and Lander in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood.
“Together, we can achieve true environmental excellence,” Lee said. “We hope that what you learn here … you will take back to your home countries to help grow sustainability around the globe.”
Lee was presented with a plaque by an Australian military official. He also talked individually with members of the group, explaining in detail how recycling helps build cleaner, healthier communities.
In the 1980s, Lee worked in Seattle’s solid waste division and said he was proud to see a facility like Republic Services’ facility play such a significant role in helping cities achieve high recycling rates.
“In Bellevue, residents are recycling almost 70 percent,” he said. “That is about double the national average.”
“In the Northwest, recycling is a part of our culture,” he added. “We’ve been doing it for years; it is second nature.”
Republic Services’ Lander facility recycles more than 200,000 tons of material each year – the equivalent weight of nearly 500 fully-loaded Boeing 747 airplanes. The facility tour demonstrated Lander’s equipment and process from start to finish. Material moves rapidly through the 90,000 square foot facility; some commodities are recycled in less than 60 seconds.
The group that visited Lander was a class of 11 General Officers and the rest were mostly senior Colonels from various branches of the military. According to the university, officers in this program go on to positions of high responsibility, often becoming the heads of services or the equivalent NATO positions.
“We’ve perhaps never had a tour of this size with this many international countries represented at Lander,” said Mike Huycke, Northwest Area President for Republic Services. “The communities we serve are some of the most diverse in the nation. In some high schools in Puget Sound, student bodies represent more than 70 nationalities. And they are some of the most avid recyclers we know.”
