Recycling in Cherokee County, IA Brent Kach - Manager Cherokee County Landfill

Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Reduce – It’s much better not to make waste in the first place. How? Reusable lunch bag, Reusable grocery bags, clothe napkins, print on both sides of paper, etc. Reuse – Many items around your house can be reused by you or someone else. How? Donate old toys & clothes, garage sale, compost, etc. Recycle – If the first two steps don’t work you should look to recycle instead of just throwing it in the trash.

The benefits of Recycling are endless! Recycling reduces the need for landfilling. Recycling conserves natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals. Recycling prevents pollution caused by the manufacturing of products from virgin materials. Recycling helps sustain the environment for future generations. Recycling saves energy. Recycling decreases emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. Recycling protects and expands US manufacturing jobs and increases US competitiveness. Source: www.epa.gov

Where and how do we recycle? There are a number of options available: Curbside pickup Drop off locations Bring it to the Landfill

Curbside Recycling Program Cities of Cherokee & Marcus Consumer sorts trash from recyclable materials to avoid contamination NOTE: There is no need to bag recyclable materials; however, if bags are used, they need to be a clear or see-through colored plastic bag.

Curbside pickup Recyclable materials are picked up curbside, then transferred to a Material Recovery Facility for sorting.

Recycle Drop-off Trailers are parked in all towns for their residents plus rural County residents

Bring your Recycle to the Landfill

What is Recyclable? Glass food jars & beverage bottles – rinsed, unbroken, any color is acceptable.

Paper

Aluminum cans Tin Cans – empty, rinsed, caps, lids and foil. Food and beverage cans, hair spray can, cooking spray can. Labels can be left on

Plastics - rinsed with lids removed Plastics - rinsed with lids removed. Clear & colored plastics with #1-#7 stamped on bottom, milk and soap jugs, food, beverage, and household cleaning bottles. Plastic bags, potato chip bags, individual cheese wrappers. Look for the recycle symbol.

Cardboard – tissue boxes, cereal, shoe & beverage boxes, food boxes without food stains as in hamburger helper box, cake box, laundry soap box.

Other Recyclables at Cherokee County Landfill Scrap Metal Asphalt Roofing Shingles

Other Recyclables Electronic Waste Fluorescent Bulbs

Sorting Each material is sorted at the facility and processed for the next step in the recycling process.

Baled for Shipment

What isn’t recyclable? Any container with traces of hazardous materials. Any dirty or food-stained paper (paper towel, etc.) Any household garbage, including diapers and food waste. Styrofoam cups and Styrofoam packaging Diabetic needles.

Cherokee County Recycling – July 1, 2014 – March 31, 2015 Fiber – 573.33 tons recycled: 9,746 trees saved 4,013,310 gallons of water saved 2,610 gallons of oil saved 2,306,570 kilowatts of electricity saved 2,116 cubic feet of landfill space saved

THANK YOU!!!