The competition, slated to end April 22 is designed to increase recycling participation, minimize recycling discrepancies, increase recycling awareness and reward barracks tenants for their efforts to comply with Marine Corps Bases Japan Order 5090.4 or the Qualified Recycling Program.

“To be good ambassadors to our host nation, we must comply and respect their environmental laws,” said Rachael W. Nelson, the environmental coordinator for Camps Foster and Lester. “Environmental compliance ensures a positive reflection of the Marine Corps community and strengthens our continued alliance with Japan.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Japanese recycling laws are designed to maximize the recycling process and minimize waste sent to landfills. Plastic, paper, polyethylene terephthalate bottles, aluminum and glass are collected and recycled. Waste is picked up on a daily basis and trash is separated and most of it is recycled.

Nelson and Tomoyoshi Kiyuna, also an environmental coordinator for Camps Foster and Lester, are overseeing the competition.

“We set the rules, wrote the letter of intent, collected and tallied discrepancies, based on Environmental Management Plans 7.7 Recycling Guidelines, wrote awards and will announce the winners,” said Nelson.

EMP 7.7 lists which items are recyclable such as aluminum, glass, paper and plastic and how to separate the items into their respective categories. Recyclable items not properly separated count as a discrepancy. The barracks with the fewest discrepancies will be declared the winner.

Nelson and Kiyuna visit the barracks weekly to document discrepancies. Barracks tenants are encouraged to take advantage of weekly cleanings to promote recycling awareness.

Participants will be surveyed at the end of the competition and based on the results the environmental office will determine if they will continue to have the recycling competition.

“We will survey the participants and ask them if it helped motivate them in order to confirm if the purpose of the competition was met at the end,” said Nelson. “We would like to host this event annually.”

Residents of the winning barracks will be awarded letters of appreciation, and in the event of a tie, the occupants of both barracks will receive a LOA.

The winning barracks will be announced at the Camp Foster Recycle Run April 29. The fun run is a 3-kilometer fun run to highlight environmental efforts.

“If they participate in this program, there really are no losers,” said Nelson. “All participants win through their achievements in following mandated recycling orders and respecting our host nation’s environmental laws.”