EVERETT — The trash talk was almost as thick as the trash.
“Loooo-sers, loooo-sers,” the Navy officers team chanted toward a team of administrative staff after the groups had just competed in the Naval Station Everett’s third annual Dumpster Diving Championship.
It turned out that another team won the contest, staged as part of the base’s celebration of Earth Day.
Five teams of 10 people apiece from different parts of the base faced off in the competition. The teams sorted through trash from the base’s trash bins, working together to sort the recyclables from the rubbish.
The winning team, a group of reserve officers, wound up posing triumphantly with the trophy, which was made of a recycled light fixture.
“It’s a learning experience for them, because they can see what stuff goes in our dumpsters that’s still recyclable,” said Les Hastings, the base’s coordinator for recycling and solid waste.
The day also featured displays by government and community groups on environmentally friendly products and programs.
In the competition, the teams were judged on accuracy in sorting, team spirit and finding a hidden item in each dumpster, among other criteria. One staff member each from Snohomish County, the city of Everett and the Snohomish Health District served as judges.
Team members separated recyclable items into paper, plastic, bottles and cans, and compost.
“I want accuracy,” shouted reserve officer John Gilbert, while standing in a dumpster and passing out bags of trash to members of his group. His team eventually won.
Team members ripped open bags and picked through them — dripping yogurt cups, plastic lunchmeat wrappers, Fritos bags and all.
“Give me a ‘D’,” Navy Cmdr. Don Leingang yelled, leading the administrative staff team through a 10-letter chant. “What’s that spell?”
“Disgusting!’” the group yelled.
“I’m glad they can spell,” Gilbert shouted back.
Even plastic wrapping and lids were kept — the base has a contract with a recycler who picks up those items along with others, Hastings said.
“It’s a considerable savings to us,” he said, both by reducing the volume of trash and by selling the recyclables.
Hastings said about 60 percent of the waste on the base is recycled but estimated that up to 80 percent of the waste that leaves the base as trash could also be recycled.
Less than one-tenth of what Leingang’s team pulled out of its trash bin was not recyclable, he said.
Leingang’s team was serenaded with the “Loooo-sers” chant just before coming in third. The team that did the chanting did worse, coming in fourth.
“It’s all in fun,” Leingang said. “It’s all about the camaraderie.”
Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or sheets@heraldnet.com.
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