b" technology& environment and people PAR-Recycle Works FounderQ A Recycling to help theMaurice Jones PAR-Recycle Works has two missions: The organization recycles electronic waste, and it also employs people who have spent time in prison. Maurice Jones, PAR founder and general manager, told Willliam Rowen Healthy Roar reporters that PAR recycles anything with a cord, from laptops to phones. Businesses and individuals can either drop off their electronics at PARs facility in Philadelphias Nicetown section or schedule a pickup.Mr. Jones says he started the organization because he wants people who have been incarcerated to get a chance at a regular life. When people have been in prison, it can be hard for them to find a job when they are released, he says.Here is a portion of the interview the Healthy Roar had with Mr. Jones. It has been shortened and lightly edited.Q: What is a typical day of work like forlists of] the materials. This is partnot necessarily about us trusting them. you at PAR-Recycle?of government regulations. TheIt's more about helping them believe they A: My day starts at 7 a.m. I come andforeman is also responsible forcan trust themselves.I unlock the doors and turn on thetraining our staff and selling theQ: What can kids do to recycle their heat, make sure it's nice andrecycled materials so we can getphones or other devices? warm in here. I connect withpaid. the internet. I meet withQ: We learned that some e-wasteA: I encourage you to make them look my foreman to go over thecontains toxic materials such as lead,like new. And make sure the devices workload for the day andcadmium, and arsenic. What dohave no personal information on them. any pickups or drop-offsyou do to protect people at yourYou can bring it to a recycling center like that we have for the day.facility?ours. We're actually going to have a new Then I jump into my emails andprogram that's starting at some of the make phone calls to get moreA: We try to keep those types ofsupermarkets, so you'll be able to take e-waste here. If it's Monday ormaterials out of our warehousethem to ShopRite and drop them in their Tuesday, I'm doing payroll. as much as possible. They'redrop bins. You want to make sure that any treated as hazardous waste.e-waste recycling bin is being handled by a Q: Can you please explain the process ofWe put it in a hazardous- certified recycler.recycling?waste container, and then that's actually shipped outQ: What made you start employing A: Things have to be deconstructed,formerly incarcerated sorted, and separated. That's what myto a place where it canindividuals? staff does. They get the materials, theysafely go.open them up as much as they're ableQ: How do you know thatyouA: There's a need. One to, and then they pull all the materialscan trust the people that you hire?of the largest barriers out. We sell the materials to a smelter,for individuals coming where the precious metals used in theA: How do you know that you can trusthome from prison is electronics are extracted. anybody that you come across? You don't.getting a job. If they Q: What is the most important jobSo you take a chance that people arehave employment, at your facilities and what makes itgoing to come and take advantage of whattheres a much important?we're trying to offer and the resourcesbetter chance that that we're bringing to them. If somebodythey wont go back A: The most important job is the foreman.has come to us and is interviewing withto prison. We train The foreman is responsible for bringingus, they've had challenges with beingpeople so they can find the materials and inventorying [keepingemployed in the traditional space. So it'spermanent jobs.After doing more research on plastic waste, I know I can be more careful on how much I use. I can make sure that my water bottles end up in the right recycling bin. I can reuse plastic bags. What I want people to know is when they throw their trash on the ground, they are not thinking about the Earth. They are making it worse and helping destroy the Earth and things that keep us alive.Nyomi Morant-Mason, 8th grade DePaul Healthy Trailblazer JournalPage 24 illustrations byYarlis Ceron, 8th grade,24B Y K I D S , F O R K I D S | S p r i n g 2 0 2 3 Catholic Partnership Schools Healthy Courier"