Hanford recycles materials from hard hats to power poles

Hanford workers are finding second uses for materials, recycling 2,500 tons of waste last year to keep it out of landfills.

Asphalt has been reused for structural foundations in road repairs and unneeded wood power poles have been converted to fence posts, according to Department of Energy contractor Mission Support Alliance.

Almost 800 pounds of expired or damaged hard hats were broken down and recycled last year, and 440 pounds of hard hats have been collected this year.

Other recycled items include plastic, cardboard, paper, furniture, scrap metals, electronics, toner cartridges and tires.

Last year Mission Support Alliance kept about 85 percent of nonhazardous material and 59 percent of construction and demolition debris out of landfills, exceeding its goals of 50 percent for each, it said. The contractor manages recycling for the nuclear reservation.

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 7:22 PM with the headline "Hanford recycles materials from hard hats to power poles."