A quarterly newsletter of
Summer 2009 Olmsted County
Public Works
woody waste, and shredded paper products. Greens include
Cook up some fresh grass clippings, vegetable and fruit scraps, rotting
fruits or garden vegetables, fresh plant trimmings, and cut
flowers. Finished compost can be mixed into your garden
compost! soil, improving soil health and retaining moisture near your
plants’ roots. Composting will allow you to reduce your
waste and your water bill.
On Saturday, June 6, Olmsted County Public Works is The sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., while
sponsoring a one-day-only backyard compost bin truck- supplies last. In addition to Earth Machine composters,
load sale. Your family will be able to purchase an Earth your family will also be able to purchase kitchen scrap pails
Machine compost bin for only $40. (That’s $60 less than the and compost turners at a reasonable price. Look for the
normal price! trailer in the south parking lot across from Macy’s at Apache
What a deal!) Mall, 333 Apache Mall in Rochester.
The Earth
Machine, which
is made from Toxic trade-offs
recycled plastic, When it comes to hazardous household products, less is
can hold up to better. Here are some easy “trade-offs” to trim the toxics in
80 gallons of your home:
yard and garden G Whenever possible, use “elbow grease” instead of
debris. chemicals. Rather than a toxic and smelly “no-scrub”
Composting is bathtub cleaner, use a milder soap and a scrub brush—
often called and your muscles, of course!
“nature’s recycling G Choose water-based products when available, such as
system.” Organic latex paint. Not only is latex paint non-toxic, but you can
materials rot in nature. For example, when leaves and other also clean up your brushes and trays with water. This
organic debris fall onto a forest floor, the materials begin a means that you won’t need toxic paint thinners, either.
natural process of decay, thanks to air, water, warmth, G Use up what you already have. Don’t buy more chemicals
worms, insects, bacteria, and fungi. Eventually, these when what you have at home can do the job. Check the
organic materials cupboards and shelves before you head to the store.
become nutrient-rich G Purchase only the amount you need. If you will be
humus, which is a painting the edge of a bulletin board, you won’t need a
necessary part of gallon of paint! Choose the right size container for the
healthy soil. A job you need to do.
composter like the G Give away or trade stuff your family won’t be able to use
Earth Machine helps up. Maybe your neighbors could use up plant food or
speed up this process bug killers that your family doesn’t need. Ask around.
in your backyard. G Dispose of unneeded hazardous chemicals safely.
When you mix Household hazardous waste is accepted year-round at
“brown” and “green” the Olmsted Hazardous Waste Facility, which is open
organic waste in a bin, Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During
you provide the the spring and summer, we also offer mobile collections,
ingredients that are which will be held in Oronoco on May 5, in Stewartville
needed to get the on June 11, in Eyota on August 4, in Byron on September
process started. 8, and in Chatfield on September 15. For more
Browns include dying information, including a list of materials accepted, call
leaves, brush 328-7070 or visit www.olmstedwaste.com.
trimmings, chipped
Page 1
Three R’s for e-waste The trouble with tires
Each year, Americans replace hundreds of thousands of Old tires can be a lot of trouble, especially if they are sitting
computers, televisions, cell phones, and various other outside in piles with other tires.
pieces of equipment with electronic components. The old To begin with, water collects in the cool, dark space inside
items, most of the tires. This water gets stale. Then,
which still work, mosquitoes, which seem to love stale
are often no water, move in and breed.
longer wanted or These mosquitoes may carry
needed, germs that can make
becoming people very sick,
“e-waste” such as West Nile
(electronic Virus, or
waste). So, what heartworms that
are we to do with can attack dogs.
this growing pile of e-waste? The next
First, of course, think REDUCE. As we mentioned, problem comes if
many of the items being replaced still work just fine. Think scrap tire piles catch fire. Tire fires are hard to put out and
before you buy. Does your old iPod or MP3 player work? burn for a long time, creating heavy, black smoke that makes
Why get a new one then? How about your family’s it difficult for people nearby to see and breathe. Once the fire
computer? If it is working, maybe it doesn’t need to be is finally out, an oily layer sits on top of the soil, polluting the
replaced just yet. soil, as well as the run-off water after storms.
Second, consider REUSE. A lot of working electronics These troubles with tires are easy to avoid. Plan to recycle
can be used by someone else in your family. Or, maybe you your tires. When your family gets new tires, trade in the old
could sell the item at a garage sale or resale shop. Perhaps tires. There will probably be a slight fee. Or, drop off tires at
you could donate your old and working television, the Recycling Center Plus for a fee.
computer, or cell phone to a charitable organization.
Third, plan to RECYCLE. Broken and outdated
electronics can be recycled. During recycling, electronics
Did you know? OLMSTED COUNTY
plus
RECYCLING CENTER
are taken apart so that their parts, metals, and chemicals The Recycling Center Plus
can be reused to make new equipment. accepts these and similar
To make it easier to recycle your old electronics, we materials for a fee: brush,
accept cell phones at the Hazardous Waste Facility at no garbage, appliances, bikes, carpeting, computer systems and
charge, and other electronics, including computers and electronics, construction materials, drywall, furniture, grills,
TVs, at the Recycling Center Plus for 30¢ per pound. Both lawn mowers (empty of fluids), mattresses, TVs, and tires.
facilities, located at 305 Silver Creek Road NE in Rochester, These recyclable materials are accepted at the Recycling
are open Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Center Plus at no cost:
L Aluminum cans (buy-back)
L Clear glass bottles and jars (no window glass, dishware, or
Funded by Olmsted County Public Works ceramics)
L Green, brown, and other colored glass bottles and jars
L Corrugated cardboard (clean only)
L Boxboard (such as cereal, cake, and cracker boxes)
L Office paper (white and pastel-colored paper, including
copier paper)
L Newspaper
L Magazines
L Telephone books
L Plastic bottles with necks (only #1 and #2 – no oil
containers)
L Tin food cans and EMPTY aerosol and paint cans
Jack Stansfield
L Clean scrap iron, aluminum, copper, brass, and stainless
Olmsted County steel
Public Works
2122 Campus Dr. SE
Rochester, MN 55904-4744
(507) 328-7070
Dex has a guide
Waste Disposal Info Line: to help!
(507) 328-7077
See the Olmsted County Recycling &
stansfield.jack@co.olmsted.mn.us
Garbage Guide to help answer questions
olmstedwaste.com like:
• Where can we recycle bottles and cans?
• Which paper products can we recycle
at home?
• What do we do with pesticides we no
longer need?
• What should we do with an old couch?
Find the answers in your Dex directory!
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