BCM’s Resource Stewardship and Sustainability Program began in 2006 and has grown into one of the largest recycling programs in the Texas Medical Center, but the program wouldn’t have achieved this success without its committed volunteers, like Nina Lee.

Nina Lee

Lee, who works in pediatrics at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, is being recognized as the Baylor recycling program volunteer of the year for 2016. She has volunteered with the program since 2010 and in 2016 alone, picked up nearly 1 ton of materials, primarily laboratory pipette boxes.

Many people don’t realize that the recycling efforts at the College are largely conducted by volunteers who pick up, sort and weigh recycling from several locations on campus, said program coordinator Gabi De La Rosa. The RSSP volunteer team is comprised of students, faculty and staff who pick up recycling on a rotation schedule.

The program has won numerous awards and grants and has been recognized as the No. 1 medical school for recycling six years running in the annual national RecycleMania competition. In addition to recycling efforts, the program also strives to reduce energy and water consumption and holds events such as Market Days and Earth Day.

As volunteer of the year, Lee has been given naming rights to the Recycling Room, 527E, and has chosen to name it the Hamilton, Neill & Lee Recycling Room in honor of Dr. Winnie Hamilton, the founder of the recycling program at Baylor, and Frederick Neill, who is one of the first volunteers.

“We are fortunate to have volunteers like Nina who have given of their time for so many years. She has been with the program since nearly the beginning and is committed to making BCM more sustainable,” said Dr. Winnie Hamilton, Environmental Health Services director and founder of BCM recycling.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer or finding out more about BCM recycling, please visit the recycling webpage or contact Gabi De la Rosa at grrosa@bcm.edu.