Breaking news from Bossier City and the Diocese of Bossier.

The recycling program sponsored by the Bossier Parish Police Jury and the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office is not only good for the environment, but also good for the bottom line of the two agencies.

The baler purchased by the parish police jury is currently in the Bossier Parish Highest Security Prison on Old Plain Dealing Rd. The waste cardboard is compressed into bundles.

The labor to transport materials from nearby facilities and operate the unit is provided by the prisoners and supervised by the department of Sheriff Julian Whittington.

This is the first recycling program developed in a correctional facility in northern Louisiana. Cardboard and waste paper are transferred from the landfill to the recycling center, and the proceeds will be donated to the local non-profit organization.

"We start with cardboard and paper, and will add other recyclables when resources permit," said Lynn Bryan, executive director of Keep Bossier Beautiful. Bryan's organization will benefit from recycled materials to fund its programs and activities.

“I can’t express our gratitude to the police jury and the sheriff’s office for their efforts to make this project possible; it’s a win-win for everyone. Brian said. “It’s a great plan, it’s just what we can do. The beginning of something to do together. It complements our recycling school program. The local school is recycling cardboard and received a cardboard bin during the trial period, provided by Blake Bunnett, general manager of Renewaste Solutions. "

Ted Alford is the maintenance supervisor for facility corrections and oversees recycling efforts. He believes that the plan can save money in addition to environmental protection.

"We are removing this waste from the already overloaded landfill and turning it into reusable materials," he said. "This is good for the environment, but we also save money because there is less trash to tow away. We may be able to justify fewer trash bins and less garbage collection."

According to Alford, the recovery has been going on for about six weeks. So far, four packs have been produced, each weighing an average of nearly 1,000 pounds. He estimates that the plan can produce one pack of cardboard every 10 days, and 10 packs are most suitable for transportation to the recycling center.

Jim Firth, Bossier Parish's purchasing agent and director of operations, purchased the machine from Renewaste after studying the potential economic and environmental impact of recycling.

"Recycling is important to the environment, and we believe it can also help us save money," Firth said. "We think that we can save about ten to fifteen thousand dollars per year in waste transportation alone, which may be conservative."

Firth said he plans to add a covered structure to the police jury's budget to accommodate the cardboard baler. Moreover, he added that the baler will soon have a company.

"Our next step is to purchase a recycling machine to process the large quantities of cans that pass through the prison," he said. "Many of the items purchased here are in large cans, and it makes sense to recycle these items instead of dragging them to a landfill."

Brian said that the benefits of the first incarceration facility in northwestern Louisiana, which she called the "Bossier Parish Prison Recycling", justified this effort.

"Together, we will reduce waste costs and reduce the amount of materials delivered to landfills," she said. "At the same time, we are saving taxpayers' money and improving our environment. She is happy to work with entities that can accomplish the task." 

Keep Bossier Beautiful is the winner of Keep America Beautiful's 2020-2021 Circle of Excellence Award. KBB is the recipient of a clean supply grant from Keep Louisiana Beautiful, Inc., the state’s anti-trash and community improvement organization that focuses on education, law enforcement, awareness, and cleanup. 

Additional investment in their work includes a $9,000 gift from the Alta and John Franks Foundation.

— Feature photo: Lynn Bryan of Keep Bossier Beautiful sitting on four packs of cardboard, each weighing approximately 1,000 pounds.

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