“Merci beaucoup à tous”: A five month Internship at Pinellas County Division of Solid Waste

Special letter from Pinellas County Solid Waste intern from France

By Marine Thevenin

I am in the fourth year of a five year environmental engineering school program, ISARA, in Lyon, France. Through mutual friends, I was really fortunate to have found an internship for the six months (March to September 2013), in Pinellas County Solid Waste. I could not have found a more perfect fit for my school needs. I feel that my English speaking or perhaps “American” is improving all the time.

Upon my arrival, employees explained the functioning of Solid Waste. Initially, I started to work in the Water Treatment Plant. It is a new operation and I was able follow the beginning of this process, observe and work with the employees in order to find the correct blends to provide the best water quality. In the following months, I spent time with the other units
(Waste-to-Energy, HEC3, recycling programs, etc.). I followed different projects for each unit and worked on these projects. I found it very interesting to see how the business operates and is managed. Currently, I am working with Environmental Education.

Pinellas County does so much for its residents making recycling convenient and easy. I was especially impressed with the Household Electronics and Chemical Collection Center. It is so incredible how Pinellas County Solid Waste can handle trash, hazardous waste and yard waste safely and efficiently.

It surprised me to find how Solid Waste sections interact with each other. For instance, it is important to keep hazardous waste out of the trash so it is not burned and parts can be recycled saving natural resources. There are very few recycling differences between the French system and that of Pinellas County. At home we separate plastic, glass, and paper. The French population is very involved in recycling because of the positive impact on the environment.

With so many people  recycling, it is quite obvious when a neighbor is not
participating— there is an informal peer pressure. One very obvious difference in the cultures is with restaurant meals. In the U.S., “doggy bags”
are very popular for leftover restaurant food. That is not a practice we have in France. We have to leave the food at the restaurant to be disposed. Doggy bags save a great amount of food waste. Solid Waste has been such a great place to add to my education and experiences. I am grateful for the opportunity to express my opinion while being encouraged. Everyone is
always available to explain concepts to me.

This internship provided professional experience that has been so enlightening and necessary for my future. Thank you very much.