City Talk - Bourbon H.S. Ecology class tours Recycling Center

As part of a day-long field trip that included stops at the City of Rolla’s Southwest Treatment Plant, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR), a group of 23 Ecology students from Bourbon High School recently toured the Rolla Recycling Center located at 2141 Old St. James Road.

The tour of the Recycling Center on Nov. 6 was hosted by Solid Waste Director Brady Wilson, who did a lot more than talk about trash to the group of juniors and seniors who attend Jon Johnson’s Ecology class at Bourbon High School in Bourbon, Missouri.

Wilson’s main message to the students was that “just about anything we use and consume at home, at work and around town can be recycled.” The students were surrounded by mountains of recycled paper and cardboard as Wilson emphasized how important recycling is, not only from an environmental and ecological perspective, but also an economic one.

Hylan Beydler, Public Information Coordinator with the DNR, Division of Geology and Land Survey in Rolla, said that touring the Rolla Recycling Center helps to broaden the student’s awareness of their career opportunities in Geology and Ecology, and increases their awareness of the impact that recycling has on their environment. Beydler, who coordinated the day-long field trip and environmental education outreach with Jim Lubbers from the DNR in Jefferson City, said the field trip was funded entirely from the State’s Scrap Tire fee, which is coordinated by DNR.

Wilson, who is passionate about recycling, the environment, and educating the public about the positive impact recycling and the Rolla Recycling Center has on our community, conducts student and civic tours of the Recycling Center on a regular basis.

The next big project Brady will be showcasing at the Recycling Center is a new recycled materials exhibit that will demonstrate the use of recycled products and includes a handicapped picnic table and message board totally constructed from recycled materials. The exhibit will also include a composting demonstration display.

To schedule a tour of the facility, or for more information about the Recycling Center and new Household Hazardous Waste Facility, please call the Solid Waste Department at (573) 364-6693. To schedule a tour of the DNR offices in Rolla, please call Hylan Beydler at (573) 368-2100.