Recycling at Oakton is mysterious, to say the least. Paper goes into the blue recycling bins in every classroom, but what happens after that?
The custodial staff, the team of recycling superheroes of Oakton, plays a critical role in the recycling process every day. They empty the blue classroom bins into clear trash bags separate from the other waste. Students often see these trash bags, and assume that the paper and other recyclables are thrown out. In reality, the bags are taken to the large holding bin by door six. From there, Potomac Disposal Services takes it to their recycling plant in Manassas.
Ryan Faubert, AP Environmental Science and Geosystems teacher, is very involved in the recycling process. Last year, his APES class wrote grant proposals for Oakton’s recycling services, and one was recently sustained. The grant will help the custodial team, overseen by Chip Comstock, improve environmental efficiency, with the money going directly to the recycling process.
As a personal project, Faubert is requesting Oakton’s waste data from the county engineer. Fairfax County mandates the weighing of waste upon collection, providing a comparison between trash and recycling disposal. With this information, Faubert could measure Oakton’s recycling proficiency against trash production.
“We can be very idealistic,” Faubert said. “What should happen isn’t always what does.”
With the new grant and promising plans for the future, Oakton’s eco-friendly plans are only improving.
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