Dec. 17, 2001 – People on St. John who want to recycle aluminum cans and bottles made of No. 1 plastic now can drop them off any time at bins located outside the V.I. National Park Visitor Center in Cruz Bay. "By the stairs," park ranger Deanna Somerville said.
No. 1 plastic is clear and has a "1" marked inside the "recycle" triangle on the bottom. This is the plastic used for individual water bottles, fruit-drink containers and such things as ketchup and barbecue sauce — but not water and milk jugs. Bottles should have their caps removed before they are placed in a bin.
Aluminum cans are for the most part soda and beer containers and do not need to be washed, although they should be emptied.
Until now, St. John residents who wanted to recycle aluminum and No. 1 plastic had to connect with the St. Thomas-based Sanitary Trash Removal Service recycler who visits St. John only on Wednesday mornings by the Cruz Bay tennis courts.
STMS plays 50 cents a pound for aluminum and 25 cents a pound for the plastic, but the half-day-a-week schedule is not convenient for many would-be recyclers. Although the park is not paying for the discarded aluminum and plastic, it offers convenience. The bins are accessible any time, even when the Visitor Center is closed.
Somerville said the park will sell the aluminum and plastic to Sanitary Trash Removal Service and the money will be used to expand the park recycling program. In November, she said, the park set up aluminum and plastic recycling bins at the Julius E. Sprauve, Guy Benjamin, Pine Peace and St. John Christian Academy schools for their own use. The students also plan to sell the aluminum and plastic to STMS and will use their proceeds to fund school projects.
"We're trying to teach the kids it's worth it to pick up cans and bottles," Somerville said. In fact, she said, anyone who would like to help the schools might drop off their cans and bottles at those facilities, rather than take them to the Visitor Center.
While the park and school efforts will help reduce the amount of aluminum and plastic that gets transported from the Susannaberg transfer station to the Bovoni landfill on St. Thomas, it doesn't deal with the large number of glass bottles that arrive on St. John. That project belongs to the St. John Recycling Council, which is looking for a place to set up its glass crusher. Norm Gledhill, a council member, said the crushed glass will used for backfill in construction projects and in building drainage areas. The sand that is separated out can be used in concrete plaster, he said.
Gledhill applauded the park efforts with aluminum and plastic recycling. "Anything they do is helpful," he said.
Somerville said the park is looking for volunteers to assist the schools in their recycling efforts. If you would like to help or learn more, call her at 776-6201, ext. 262, or Pat Dinisio at 776-6201, ext. 263.
