Citgo to launch recycling program in Sulphur
Published 10:35 am Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Citgo officials will be at Stine in Sulphur on Friday morning to launch their Earth Keepers recycling program.
The event, set for 7-10 a.m., seeks to raise awareness about recycling and environmental stewardship. Citgo volunteers will be on hand to take recyclables from residents. Acceptable items include paper, plastic, cardboard and aluminum cans. Visitors are asked not to bring food waste, loose plastic bags, electronic waste or glass.
“The environment is one of Citgo’s core values,” said Dana Keel, Citgo’s government and public affairs manager. “Our thought was to move that forward outside of the refinery and into the community. Our employees recycle. We bring our recyclables here. We recycle in the office and out in the refinery as well.”
Earth Keepers is part of the company’s Fueling Good initiative.
Friday morning’s event is part of the program’s community effort. Earth Keepers also has a K-12 program, which has been implemented in the Sulphur schools to teach students about recycling and the environment.
“We know that to be able to educate our public, we should start with our students who are in school,” Keel said. “They are the ones who will go home and tell their parents about how recycling can help our community. As they grow up they will have that instilled in them, and they will move forward and continue to recycle as adults.”
The program grew out of Citgo’s annual E-Recycle program, which was held this year at Kinder High School in June. Keel said the Earth Keepers program will work in the same manner as E-Recycle.
“In our E-Recycle program, most of the folks who show up don’t even have to get out of their vehicle,” she added. “We will do the same thing here because with the recycling here in this area, it’s commingled. At this point there is no need to separate the paper from the plastic or the aluminum.”
Jeremy Stine, online sales manager for Stine, could not be reached for comment prior to deadline.
Citgo Earth Keepers Recycle Program is a partnership between the refinery, the city of Sulphur, Stine, Waste Management and the Calcasieu Parish School Board.
