The City of Muscatine, along with Muscatine County, is participating in the Solid Waste Environmental Management System (EMS) sponsored by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The program is a voluntary alternative to comprehensive planning for solid waste planning areas and permitted facility service areas of which the Muscatine Landfill is one.
“This is an educational and outreach program that involves six different areas,” David Popp, Solid Waste Manager for the City of Muscatine said.
The six environmental components include organics management, greenhouse gas reduction, household hazardous materials collection, recycling services, water quality improvement, and environmental education. With the assistance of the DNR each participating agency develops their own EMS program.
Six different signs will be rotated on City of Muscatine refuse collection trucks over the next several months as part of their education and outreach program.
“We hope to catch people who are travelling or at home to see the signs and learn more about what services the City of Muscatine offers through the Solid Waste Division,” Popp said.
Popp said that the City of Muscatine will be sending out a limited number of surveys to select residents to see how well the messaging has worked.
“We want to know if the program has been helpful or what we can do to make the program even better,” Popp said.
The first sign informs the public about the recycling services available at the Muscatine Transfer Station.
Residents of Muscatine and Fruitland who have the Muscatine Refuse Collection service can drop off glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles and jugs, paper and cardboard, and aluminum and steel cans. Containers should be emptied and rinsed while cardboard should be flattened.
Before dropping off material for recycling residents should park in the customer parking area next to the drop off center, and visit the Transfer Station office to fill out a form letting staff know what material you are dropping off. Once the form is completed, residents can return to their vehicles, remove the items, carry them inside the Recycling Center, and place them in the appropriate bins.
No trash or yard waste is permitted to be dropped off along with no plastic bags, food waste, Styrofoam, batteries and electronics, or bagged recyclables.
Click on the following link to find out more about the Recycling Drop Off Center.
Food waste can be deposited into the Muscatine Organic Recycling Center (MORC) container located at the entrance to the Muscatine Recycling Center. MORC depackages food waste and transports the liquified material to the Water Resource and Recovery Center where it is fed into the digesters and turned into energy.
All items dropped off to MORC should be in bags or in their original packaging. Items accepted include bread and pastries, canned goods, cheese, yogurt and dairy, coffee grounds and coffee pods, cooking oil, dry goods, cereal, chips and candy, eggs, fats and meat grease, fat trimmings, food in compostable bags, frozen food, meats, plate scrapings, and vegetables and fruits.
Accepted items and unaccepted items are listed above the MORC bin at the Recycling Center or you can click on the following link to read more (Muscatine Organic Recycling Center).