Author: Winneshiek Waste

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!

Join us for the 2024 Earth Day Festival taking place on Saturday, April 20th, at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds in both the Community Building and Danan Lansing Building! Explore the latest in recycling, composting, solar power, electric vehicles, native planting, wildlife habitat, conservation practices, and more! This free, open house event is for all ages. Have fun with hands-on activities, interactive displays, and educational exhibits provided by local conservation and sustainability organizations.

SPECIAL EVENTS AT THE 2024 EARTH DAY FESTIVAL INCLUDE…

• Free snacks from the Oneota Community Food Co-op
• Free coffee from Impact Coffee and Winneshiek Energy District
• Educational presentations:
  • 9:30 AM: “Bringing Birds & Pollinators to Your Backyard” with Winneshiek County Conservation Naturalist Larry Reis
  • 10:00 AM: “Meet Astrid, a Live Gyrfalcon” with Raptor Resource Project’s David Kester
  • 10:30 AM: “Solar 101” with Winneshiek Energy District’s Paul Cutting
  • 11:00 AM: “Meet Astrid, a Live Gyrfalcon” with Raptor Resource Project’s David Kester
  • 11:30 AM: “Understanding the Decorah Impact Crater” with Luther College professor Birgitta Meade
• Explore the live insects brought by the Iowa State University Insect Zoo
• View the stars in the Keystone Area Education Agency planetarium
• Native tree seedlings & other giveaways
• Electric vehicle showings
• Solar & HVAC contractors
• First access to register for the 2024 Driftless Safari and receive a free guidebook
• And much more!

For more information about this event and the organizations involved, visit the Winneshiek County Conservation website!

STARTING MONDAY, APRIL 1ST, ALL ELECTRONIC WASTE AND OLD APPLIANCES SHOULD BE DROPPED OFF AT THE RECYCLING CENTER (2510 172nd Avenue Decorah, IA) DURING BUSINESS HOURS (6:00 AM to 3:00 PM M-F excluding holidays).

THE WINNESHIEK COUNTY LANDFILL WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT ELECTRONICS OR APPLIANCE WASTE STARTING APRIL 1ST.

PLEASE NOTE:

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

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

*Enter the recycling center through the pedestrian door on the right side of the large dock door, where our staff will assist you.

For more details on disposal procedures, visit our “What Do I Do With” page. Feel free to reach out via Facebook Messenger or call us at 563-382-6514 with questions.

Winneshiek County residents! Did you hear you can earn a home composter for no cost this year? See the details listed below to find out if you are eligible. Composting your food waste helps reduce pressure on our landfill. It also creates healthy soil that can be used as fertilizer in your garden! Click on the “Composting” tab in the top right corner to learn more about the home composter or to order a container.

If you are not a Winneshiek County resident, you can still order a bin for approximately $55. Supplies are limited. The order form will be closed when supplies run out.

Conditions for earning a bin for no charge:

1. You must be a Winneshiek County resident

2. You must attend a compost training (sessions are listed in the order form)

3. Limit of one free composter per household

Questions about this program? Contact Evan Neubauer at wildrecycling@winneshiekwild.com.

Happy Wednesday all! Remember to unscrew those bottle caps before tossing plastic bottles in the recycling bin, and ensure your plastic bottles are empty. Our recycling team appreciates the help! Also, another friendly reminder: we only accept HARD plastics with the magic numbers 1 or 2 in the recycling triangle. This number is usually found on the bottom of the plastic container. If there is a 3,4,5,6,7 or no number present, we cannot accept it. Thanks and keep up the good work!