Disposal answers from the Trash Queen on Owatonna

OWATONNA — A new year is here- time for the Steele County Trash Queen to again answer a few questions that she commonly receives on the Steele County Recycling Hotline.

Dear Queen of Debris: Our closets and drawers are bursting open with all the stuff we have accumulated. How can we get rid of some of this stuff? Crowded Household
The Queen Answers: Find someone else who can use items you no longer want. Call Salvation Army at 455-2023 or Clothesline at 451-2550 or look in the phone book under Thrift Stores to obtain information on hours, locations and what these places accept. Daycare centers and church nurseries might be interested in good used toys. Garage sales are another great way to see that items are reused. The Steele County Humane Society (451-4512) appreciates clean blankets, towels and sheets for use by animals in their care. Old, inefficient or non-working holiday lights and small appliance cords may be recycled free through Jan. 15 at B to Z Hardware in Blooming Prairie and in Owatonna at the Public Utilities, library, Steele Waseca Coop Electric, Arrow Ace Hardware, True Value Hardware and Walgreens.

Dear Trash Queen: I just received a flyer in the mail about recycling. What does this mean? Newcomer to town.
Trash Queen says: Curbside recycling is offered to all households in Blooming Prairie, Ellendale, Medford, Lazy U Mobile Home Park and Owatonna. It costs nothing to use, as the residential recycling program is funded through a service fee on residential property taxes. Waste Management holds the contract with Steele County for residential recycling, so they pick up recycling for everyone no matter what garbage hauler the household chooses.
The brochure with detailed information about what is/what is not recyclable is mailed to city residents every year at this time. Since pick up only occurs every other week, the flyer has a calendar noting recycling pick up dates for the entire year and contains stickers that can be placed on a home calendar as a reminder. If you are unsure of your pick up day, call the Steele County Recycling Hotline at 451-5443. Set your filled recycling bin or bins near the curb by 7 a.m. on recycling day or bring your materials to a recycling drop-off site for pick up.

Dear Recycling Guru: Do I need to use a blue bin to recycle? How can I get one? Billy Binless.
Royal Recycler Responds: Residents are strongly urged to use the blue bins, as truck drivers are trained to look for those at the curb. If you need a blue recycling bin or desire a second bin, pick these up free of charge at the Steele County/Waste Management Recycling Center in Owatonna, located two blocks north of Cash Wise Foods off State Avenue and County Rd. 45. Residents in other cities of Steele County may get free recycling bins by talking to their city clerk and residents in mobile home parks may get bins from the park’s office. Place bins on the right side of the driveway as you face the street to help the driver more easily see bins when there are snow piles nearby. Rural residents may also obtain free recycling bins and a list of locations of the seven recycling drop off sites is available at the Recycling Center or by calling the Recycling Hotline.

Your Trashy Highness: I’m sick of receiving all the catalogs and junk mail that have been filling my mailbox recently. What can I do to avoid this mess next year? Drowning in Paper
Disposal Diva answers: Minnesota has a Web site www.reduce.org that lists several sites for consumers to remove their name from advertising mail, including catalogs, junk mail and credit card offers. Information on reducing telemarketing calls is also provided in the state Web site, as is information for businesses on reducing their unwanted mail. Individuals may also contact specific publications to ask that their name be removed from the mail list; many publications have toll-free numbers listed somewhere on the publication for this.
Have a wonderful year in 2010 and remember: waste less and want less.

Mary Overlee Olson is Recycling Coordinator for Steele County Environmental Services, administration center, 630 Florence Ave. She can be reached by calling Steele County Environmental Services office at 444-7475.

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