Author: Winneshiek Waste

Good Afternoon all,

As we mentioned previously, purchasing a reusable water bottle is a great way to cut back on plastic waste. We can also cut back on waste production by purchasing products that come with less packaging and/or come in packaging that can be recycled. If you have a choice between purchasing an item that contains a #1 hard plastic or an item that is made up of a #6 hard plastic, please choose the #1 plastic, as we can accept this material at our recycling facility. The #6 plastic would have to be placed in the garbage. Learn more by exploring our website.

One of the best ways you can reduce plastic waste is by purchasing a reusable water bottle or reusable cup. This is also a great way to save money! By taking your own water bottle with you, you’ll reduce your chances of buying more expensive beverages on the go, and this will limit the amount of single use plastics consumed. If you need to purchase a bottle of water, please ensure it is empty before you recycle it in Winneshiek County. Have a great day!

This cardboard was found in one of the “Plastics and Metals” bins today located at the 48-Hour Lot next to Decorah City Hall. Although we appreciate that recyclable materials are being placed in the bins, it’s important that they are placed in the correct containers. When sorting cardboard at all collection sites, if you come across a full bin, please look around for other cardboard containers that still have space. Please also ensure that all boxes are broken down before you toss them in the bins. This will prevent the roll off containers from filling up too quickly. Thank you!

Attention Winneshiek County residents:


We have been noticing more scrap metal pieces in our roll off containers, expecially at our Locust site. Scrap metal pieces must be dropped off in our scrap metal bins in the drop off shed at the recycling center.
When larger scrap pieces are placed in our roll off bins, they end up mixed in with our smaller items that go on the sorting line. The larger items damage our belts as they are pushed to the line. This is why it is essential to keep them separated.


In the pictures below, you can see that there is part of a washer that has been disassembled. We take washers for free during business hours at the recycling center. These should not be placed in the roll off bins. We also found a humidifer in this pile. Humidifers can also be dropped off at the recycling center for free during business hours. Please ensure you speak with a staff member when you bring electronics or appliances. There is a $20 fee for appliances containing refrigerant and televisions and computer monitors.


Thanks for helping our team here at the recycling center!

Did you know that the recycling center cannot accept soft plastic? They are known as tanglers and get caught in our equipment. One way to cut down on the amount of plastic waste we create is by switching to reusable grocery bags. Just like a reusable water bottle, you may already have a reusable grocery bag, but it’s easy to forget them at home when we head to the store. Try writing “BAGS” at the top of your shopping list or keep them in your back seat so you remember to use them.

We wanted to remind everyone that ALL ELECTRONIC AND APPLIANCE WASTE MUST GO TO THE RECYCLING CENTER AND MUST BE GIVEN TO A STAFF MEMBER DURING BUSINESS HOURS. DO NOT LEAVE THESE ITEMS AFTER HOURS. The recycling center is open from 6 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday.

*A $20 fee per unit applies for televisions, computer monitors, or appliances containing refrigerant.

*Payments must be made with cash or check only and cash transactions for the exact amount owed.

The Winneshiek County Sanitary Landfill NO LONGER ACCEPTS ELECTRONICS OR APPLIANCES.

Questions? Please visit our “What do I do With” page and click on Appliances or Electronics.

Thank you, and have a great weekend!

Today is International Plastic Bag Free Day! Did you know that we can’t accept soft plastic at our recycling center?

The bags tangle and damage our machines and slow down the team that does the sorting. We can’t take plastic bags even if they have a number on them. For this reason, reusing your bags is a great way to cut down on soft plastics being sent to our landfill.

At this time, we can only accept hard plastics that are stamped with a #1 or #2. If they contain a #3,#4,#5,#6,#7, or they are not marked with a number, we cannot take them.

Caps should also be removed from bottles when they are recycled. This allows more bottles to fit in a bale and can save on transportation costs.

As we celebrate the 4th of July tomorrow, let’s do our best to limit the amount of waste we create. Have a great week!

Happy National Upcycling Day, everyone! Today, we honor the creativity and environmental benefits of upcycling. Instead of tossing out old items, let’s give them a new life and purpose. Upcycling not only reduces waste but also allows us to create unique and useful pieces from things we might otherwise discard.

Here are a couple ideas:

1. Transform Old T-Shirts Into Tote Bags:
– Gather those old, unused t-shirts and turn them into stylish, resuable tote bags. You can use these for grocery shopping or day trips.

2. Repurpose Glass Jars into Stylish Storage:
– Clean out those empty glass jars and use them for storing spices, crafting supplies, and other items. Add a coat of paint or some twine for a personalized touch!

Remember, one person’s trash can be another’s treasure. Happy upcycling!

Did you know that today is Learn About Composting Day!? Composting your food waste is one of the best things you can do at home to reduce the amount of garbage filling up our landfill. Compost eventually breaks down into a soil amendment that can be used as fertilizer for your garden or lawn. To learn some composting tips, click here!

As we honor and remember the brave men and women who have served our country, we hope everyone has a safe and joyful holiday weekend.

Please note, our recycling center will be closed on Monday in observance of the holiday. We’ll resume normal operations on Tuesday.

As we head into the weekend, we wanted to provide a tip to reduce waste in your household:

*Buy in bulk.

Buying items in bulk reduces waste by eliminating unnecessary packaging and helps our landfill last longer by creating less trash. If you need to buy plastic packaging, try to stick with hard plastics stamped with a #1 or #2 so they can be recycled at our facility.

Thank you!