Teen leads recycling operation across Peninsula medical centers  

“It takes around an hour to make each clipboard, so that is about 30 minutes in the oven and 30 minutes to cool,” Brandon said.

Roughly two-hundred plastic caps are needed to create one clipboard, which the freshman will then deliver to clinic staff once complete, and the effort has quickly grown since last May. The father-son duo collect caps not just from Lin’s San Carlos medical department but from PAMF locations throughout Burlingame, Daly City, Fremont and Palo Alto, as well as three Safeway pharmacies. Staff, including nurses and doctors, have grown to love the clipboards, not just due to their novel backstory, but also because of their eclectic look, a refreshing change from the  traditionally sterile aesthetic. 

“The staff absolutely love the clipboards, and as we get more experience making them, the designs get cooler. They always ask, ‘When are you guys making more clipboards?’” Dr. Lin said. “Sometimes they’re trading clipboards, or I’ll get a little harassed if someone gets a clipboard before someone else.” 

Brandon said his primary motivation is to reduce plastic waste, a trait likely inherited from his father, who said he is also particularly mindful about how the family can keep their consumption levels to a minimum. The mentality is not just confined to their home, though, as Dr. Lin admits he has a workplace reputation for ensuring staff properly dispose of waste, especially plastic caps. 

“Staff are even better about sorting the waste now as well. I’ll give them a little stare, and they’ll take it right out and put it in the right bin,” he said. 

To date, Brandon and his father have collected more than 400 pounds of plastic, or about 160,000 bits of plastic syringe caps. And there will likely be a lot more to process in the near future, as they plan to expand efforts to other medical centers and pharmacies, possibly creating bigger objects, such as furniture, with such an oversupply. But even if they’re unable to process a larger influx by themselves, Brandon said he’ll consider it a success even if it makes other organizations realize the feasibility of such an initiative, whether they work with him or someone else.  

“I’ve always been interested in how to reduce my impact on the environment,” he said. “The main point of this project is to keep as much plastic out of the waste bins as possible. I feel like I’ve been able to educate a lot of people and made them more aware of the environmental impacts.”

alyse@smdailyjournal.com

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