Recycling Program that has been launched in Millhaven - Reported by Tess Kot

Tess Kot is involved as a CAC Member at Millhaven Institution in Ontario.  At our recent CAC AGM Tess reported on the new Recycling Program that has been launched in Millhaven – and the J Unit in particular.

Hi Murray,

I love the website- way to go with getting it organized so quickly.

I would love to share Millhaven's wonderful recycling story.

I approached the Warden Curtis Jackson in January 2011 about a recycling program to include J unit offenders. He was very supportive and told me that would be my pet project and to 'run with it', so I did.

I called all the different institutions in Ontario and the Maximum Institutions in Canada to get information, insight, and any help they could offer. Many gave me contact information in the Federal Government to find out about any possible financial assistance.

From there I contacted our Environmental Safety Officer (they have changed a few times over the past 19 months).  I have been now working with Suzanne Ronan to get this going.

We met several times with the Head of Maintenance, Larry Leeder, to get information concerning bins etc.

Suzanne has been instrumental by working with the Unions concerning any safety or security issues. I have to honestly say that Suzanne has been phenomenal in getting this program actually up and running in the J unit.

There are signs displayed around J unit with recycling as well as on the Teledon- the internal information channel available on offender televisions.

There are now recycling bins for aluminum pop cans in every range and an inmate has been hired on a part time basis. That is the norm for new employment so inmates can participate in school and programs. 

He collects and disposes of the cans in the appropriate recycling bins. The program has been actively running for only a couple of months during which time we have only hit a few minor bumps.

The J unit offenders are very happy about the recycling program as they too have been asking for one for quite a while. The offenders are quite pleased that Habitat for Humanity is benefiting from this program as many offenders want to give back to the community and this is one very concrete way to accomplish that.

We have pop can collection at all inmate functions with the staff being very supportive in our recycling project. We are hoping to include plastic bottles sometime next year but with all the changes in Corrections only time will tell what happens with this project.

I cannot express my appreciation enough to the wonderful staff and especially to Suzanne Ronan for finally getting this recycling program up and running. Without her assistance and persistence this never could have happened. I have always believed that the CAC and CSC are a team and together we can accomplish anything.

Thanks Murray and I hope you enjoyed our story.

Take care

Tess

BTW I am not sure how many pop cans makes 26 pounds but it must be quite a few and that is 26 pounds less garbage!