Conservation is not just a step, it’s an attitude, according to Earth Day’s founder, Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, who fought for the planet’s health until his death in 2005.
The genesis of the modern environmental movement can be traced to the 1962 New York Times' best-selling book, "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson. It sold more than 500,000 books in 24 counties and became the siren call raising public awareness of the environment and the links between pollution and public health.
You don't have to be a radical conservationist to help save the Earth. Recycling is an easy way to get involved.
Locally, there are recycling options in both McLeod and Meeker counties. When it first began in the counties, it was a 5-sort situation — meaning an individual was responsible for sorting everything into separate bins. In the mid-2000s, the recycling industry changed nationwide, simplifying things so the consumer was able to put all of their recycling materials in one container. A 40-gallon garbage bin was supplied.
McLeod County had a sort line at its Fifth Avenue facility in Hutchinson during this time. It hired workers to hand-sort materials. It was labor intensive and costly.
In 2018, the county made the decision to become a transfer facility. It combined the material into compacted blocks which was then loaded onto trucks to be hauled to the Twin Cities. It caused recycling to be profitable again.
McLeod county, also, is the only county that doesn’t have a waste tax. This is a charge that residents would pay that compensates a county to provide recycling to its residents. McLeod County hasn’t needed to do this — so far.
In Meeker County, the Transfer Station is adjacent to the Demolition Landfill off of State Highway 24, about half way between Litchfield and Forest City. The facility serves as a center for solid waste transfer and recycling drop. The county is looking into possibly selling the Transfer Station to a private business for more efficiency and recycling opportunities.
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF RECYCLING
In the last year or so, contamination rates are up in McLeod County, with unacceptable items being put into household containers and drop-off sites. People have been leaving non-recyclable items ranging from ceramic tile and paint cans to garbage. These unacceptable items cause the recycling load to be "dirty." As a result, the county is charged a fee when the contracted company has to take a load to the landfill.
This is the reason behind the county's new education campaign. The goal is to inform the public the value of following the rules. Otherwise, the county will have to seek alternatives such as a solid waste tax to keep recycling available.
“It’s a dollars and cents issue," said Marc Telecky, Mcleod County environmental services director. "By certain people not doing stewardship (caring about what to do), it costs the rest of us money. Don’t abuse.”
“Since we put the barriers outside our facility where people have to walk to drop off their loads, we have seen a 100% decrease in contamination," he added. "We will continue to develop security measures like this for the ‘bad actors’ to combat illegal dumping.”
THE FUTURE OF THE RECYCLING INDUSTRY
The recycling industry is taking a 360-degree turn in the United States. In the past, the U.S. has shipped its recycling waste to other countries. It is now looking to get back to more responsible means. Amazon Inc. is an example of this. It has developed programs to perfect inventory management and to repair, repurpose and donate usable items. The company also creates recycled products into new recycled packaging material.
Another market change will be a consumer stewardship program. The consumer will be charged a small fee on the product to pay for its cost to be recycled — or to collect back.
“Remember when milk containers were glass?" Telecky asked. “If you returned them to the milk distributor when they were empty, you were refunded. The recycling industry is trying to go back to something like that.”
DO THE RIGHT THING
It's important to pay attention to recycling procedures, so everyone benefits. For details, read the following:
FOR MCLEOD COUNTY RESIDENTS
McLeod County Household Hazardous Waste: 1065 Fifth Ave. S.E., Hutchinson; hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday; 800-335-0575 or 320-484-4322
Free Reuse Center at Household Hazardous Waste: Items on the shelves are available to the public free of charge. Included are latex paints, aerosol paints, adhesives, paint thinners and more.
Problem Materials Drop Off at Household Hazardous Waste: These are materials that can be recycled but are cumbersome and have not been replaced regularly, may contain chemicals or other components that may be hazardous to the environment. These items are to be dropped off at the facility, not placed in carts or drop-off sites in townships.
Hazardous Waste Drop Off: Household products that catch fire, react or explode under certain circumstances are considered household hazardous waste and includes: paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides — all require special care for disposal. They are to be dropped off at the facility, not placed in carts or drop-off sites in townships.
E-waste Appliance Drop Off: There is a charge for the disposal — $10 for electronics, CRT televisions and monitors are $15 and any electronic smaller than 12 inches is free. These items are to be dropped off at the facility, not placed in carts or drop-off sites in townships.
Tire Recycling: The cost is $4 per truck tire, $2 for a rim and $0.40 per pound for delivery of 10 tires or more. These are to be dropped off at the facility, not placed in carts or drop-off sites in townships.
Mattress Recycling: $20 per mattress or box spring. Must be dry, have no large stains and no evidence of bed bugs. These items are to be dropped off at the facility, not placed in carts or drop-off sites in townships.
Car Seat Recycling: $5 per seat with a $2.50 fee charged for base or booster. These are to be dropped off at the facility, not placed in carts or drop-off sites in townships.
Miscellaneous Recycling Materials: The following items can be recycled at no cost: Electronic media and their cases, jump drives/printer/toner cartridges/cell phones and their chargers/cables and headphones accessories/ batteries and much more. Recording media (VHS, cassettes and CDs) are charged $0.25 for county residents and $0.50 for non-county residents. These are to be dropped off at the facility, not placed in carts or drop-off sites in townships.
Other Recycling Programs: There's no charge to drop off polystyrene packaging (Styrofoam), packing peanuts, bubble wrap, air pillows, fishing line, wine corks, crayons, compact fluorescent bulbs, batteries (all types), portable countertop appliances, rigid plastics.
There are fees to recycle: fluorescent tubes, ballasts, oil filters and appliances. These are to be dropped off at the facility, not placed in carts or drop off sites in townships.
How to use your recycling cart: Place all of your recyclables together in the cart. No sorting required. Make sure to place your cart at your curb or alley prior to 6 a.m. on your recycling day.
What is allowed in the cart or at the drop-off sites in McLeod County townships? Glass bottles and jars; plastic items with a recycling symbol of No 1 through No. 7; aluminum and bimetal (tin and steel) cans; newspaper and inserts; junk mail; magazines, catalogs and telephone books; corrugated cardboard; boxboard; shredded paper; glass bottles and jars: green, brown and clear glass is acceptable, but it must be thoroughly rinsed. Remove covers. Labels do not need to be removed. Plastic containers with a recycling symbol of No. 1 through No. 7, milk jugs, bottles, plastic food containers, yogurt cups, margarine and whip cream tubs. All items must be thoroughly rinsed. Covers and labels need not be removed. Shredded Paper: Must be in a closed paper bag. Plastic Bags: Can be recycled at the Hutchinson facility.
What is unacceptable? Window glass, plate glass, mirrors, drinking glasses, dishes, light bulbs, ceramics, motor oil, anti-freeze containers, paint pails, gift-wrapping paper, used paper towels, tissue, paper napkins, used paper or Sytrofoam plates, waxed paper, Sytrofoam, bubble wrap, diapers, cigarette butts, blueprints, Pendaflex folders, carbon paper, ice cream cartons and boxboard contaminated with grease or food substances.
MCLEOD COUNTY TOWNSHIP DROP-OFF SITES
- Acoma Township: Acoma Township Hall, 23486 230th St., Hutchinson
- Collins Township: Lake Marion Regional Park, 11655 State Highway 15, Brownton
- Collins Township: City of Stewart Building, 7424 County Road 7, Stewart
- Glencoe Township: 10th Street East and Ives Avenue, Glencoe
- Hale Township: County Road 15 and State Highway 7, Silver Lake
- Lynn Township: Lynn Township Hall, 14995 County Road 7, Hutchinson
- Sumter Township: 208 First Ave., Brownton
Creekside Organic Processing Facility: 1500 Adams St. S.E., Hutchinson; 320-587-6762; 320-587-6762. Residents can drop off yard waste, brush, logs and clean wood at the CreekSide Compost Facility free of charge. The compost facility is also the final destination for residential organic material that is placed in the 90-gallon curbside organic carts. Hours: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays through Nov. 5.
FOR MEEKER COUNTY RESIDENTS
Meeker County Transfer Station: 63655 293rd St., Litchfield; 320-693-2576; Hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays. Weekly curbside pickup is offered in Cosmos, Dassel, Eden Valley and Litchfield. Any Meeker County resident may bring common recyclables to the Meeker County Transfer Station during regular business hours. Glass, metal and plastic recyclables may be combined. Newspapers and boxes/paper should be separated out.
Acceptable items: Rinsed brown, green, clear glass bottles and jars. No ceramics (coffee mugs) window glass, mirrors, drinking glasses, lightbulbs and no broken glass; rinsed aluminum and tin cans; rinsed items with No. 1, 2 or 5 in the triangle recycle sign; soda bottles, milk and water jugs, laundry containers, shampoos/conditioner bottles; newspapers, ad inserts, magazines, residential mixed mail, paper board (cereal, snack, and tissue boxes and paper grocery bags). Cardboard break down. Fluorescent bulbs — any size is free to recycle by Meeker County residents and businesses, limited to 50 bulbs per trip.
Appliance Recycling: $10 each from within the county and $20 each from outside.
Computer Electronics Recycling: $20 for CPU or laptop, monitor; $5 for printer, scanner; $25 for copy machines without toner.
Mattresses, Box Springs Recycling: $30
Couch Recycling: $20
Television Recycling: $25 to $30 depending on size
Tires Recycling: $10 per auto tire; $15 per truck tire. It varies for tractor tires
Not accepted at this location: Compost yard waste; household hazardous waste; waste oil/oil filters/antifreeze
Payment is accepted in the form of cash or check, no plastic.
Demolition Landfill: 63655 293rd St., Litchfield; hours 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m.-noon Saturday; fee: Under 1,000 pounds is $17; from within the county and more than 1,000 pounds is $40; from outside the county and more than 1,000 pounds is $56
Accepted waste at the Demolition Landfill: Asphalt, bituminous concrete, bricks, built-in cabinetry, concrete including re-rod, conduit, insulation (fiberglass, cellulose and so on), masonry, metal, old drywall, old particle board, packaging material, plastics, roofing and shingles, tile (floor, vinyl, ceramic), tree stumps, root balls, grubbing, wiring and wood.
Unaccepted at the Demolition Landfill: Adhesives, agricultural chemicals, animal carcasses, appliances, asbestos waste, ashes, batteries, carpet and padding, caulking, chemical containers, epoxy florescent tubes and ballasts, food waste, glue (applicators and containers), hazardous waste, HID lamps, household refuge and garbage, infectious waste, liquids, machinery or engine parts, mattresses, medical waste, new drywall, new particle board, pint, thinners, solvents and varnishes, PCB containing waste, pesticide containers, petroleum products (containers and filters) radio active waste, resins, epoxy or fiberglass, sandblasting waste, sealants, septic tank pumping, sludge of any kind, street sweepings, tar, thermostat/switches/mercury, tires, treated lumber or wood, vehicles of any kind and yard waste.
Other area options for demo debris are:
- Spruce Ridge: 12755 137th St., Glencoe
- Kandiyohi County HHW/Recycling Center, 1404 S.W. 22nd St., Willmar
Compost/Yard Waste: In Litchfield, call 320-693-7201; Cosmos: 320-877-7345; Dassel: 320-275-2454
Recycling Agricultural Waste: In 2016, the Meeker County Board of Commissioners approved subsidizing the disposal cost of ag plastic waste that is self-hauled from Meeker County to the McLeod County Household Hazardous Waste/Recycling Center.
Recycling Used Oils and Wastes: Randt Recycling, 60571 U.S. Highway 12, Litchfield; 320-693-6392
