Posted: Mar 10, 2022, 6:10 PM
A partnership of the Bossier Parish Police Jury (BPPJ), Bossier Sheriff’s Office (BSO), Keep Bossier Beautiful (KBB) and Renew Waste was formed to create the first program in Louisiana to incorporate corrections into a recycling initiative from the multifacility prison complex.
Everything began with a conversation between Jim Firth from BPPJ, Lynn Bryan of KBB and Blake Bennett from Renew Waste in June of 2021. The original discussion was exploring ways to get cardboard recycle bins and recycling education in our schools and it quickly took on a more broad approach. The discussion of providing cardboard recycle bins, free initially to schools that start a recycle program, progressed to ways we could recycle cardboard at our local prisons.
Even with financial resources and equipment, the manpower needed to make this project a success was critical and that is where correctional department inmates came into play. Discussions took place with Bill Altimus, then Police Jury Administrator, and Sheriff Julian Whittington of the Bossier Sheriff’s Office who agreed to work together to make this project a success.
Within a short time, Jim Firth purchased a used baler from Renew Waste and installation began at Bossier Max. Ted Alford, BPPJ maintenance superintendent, assisted with installation and oversees the recycling program. BSO staff oversee inmates in the transfer of cardboard from the multifacility complex.
Bossier Max is one of three jails rated for a combined housing capacity of 1557 inmates, ranging from misdemeanor to maximum security level offenders. The Bossier Parish Police Jury and Bossier Sheriff’s Office own the facilities that includes a nine month alcohol and drug rehabilitation program for offenders nearing release. All jails are staffed by Bossier Sheriff’s Office employees.
Jim, Lynn and Blake continued discussions which led to a Waste Audit of the prison system. A thorough examination of the frequency of waste hauling and the quantity of trash in dumpsters was performed. Results from this audit coupled with the expected decreases which will occur once cardboard recycling begins revealed a potential savings of $10-$15,000 dollars annually. This estimate could be conservative especially with elevated transportation costs.
Each cardboard bale weighs 800-1200 pounds and a bale of cardboard is created about every 10 days. The first 10 bales were ready for recycling by mid-December. Metal recycling is the next step.
Proceeds from the recycling program are put back into the community through the local award-winning non-profit, Keep Bossier Beautiful. KBB is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, whose mission is to end littering, improve recycling and beautify our communities.
Recycling is critical to our environment and with an immediate cost savings it was easy to support the recycling program. It prevents further overload of our landfill while contributing to the creation of reusable products to make a positive economic and environmental impact in our community.
This program is a model for other communities who, like Bossier Parish, work together to create a great place to live, work and play for our residents. For more information contact Lynn Bryan at KeepBossierBeautiful.com.
(Release courtesy of Lynn Bryan, Keep Bossier Beautiful)
In the Photos:
From left are Blake Bennett, General Manager of Renew Waste Solutions; Lynn Bryan, Executive Director of Keep Bossier Beautiful; Jim Firth, Purchasing Agent/Director of Operations for the Bossier Parish Police Jury; Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office Maj. Craig Stokes, John Ed Jorden, Bossier Parish Police Jury member, District 4 which includes the prisons; Ted Alford, Maintenance Superintendent of Corrections, who oversees the recycling program.
KBB’s Lynn Bryan inspects the recycling machine at Bossier Max.
)
)