Recycling
Compost
Hazardous Waste
Waste-to-Energy
Landfill
100
List three recyclable items at your house
Examples: pop cans, paper, cardboard, glass bottles/jars, soup cans, etc.
100
How much does it cost to use the compost site?
Free! (Donations accepted to support its maintenance)
100
Why is the Hazardous Waste Facility important to the solid waste management system?
Having a proper outlet for hazardous materials protects people and the environment from potential harm.
100
How long has the OWEF been in operation?
35 years
100
Where is the Olmsted county landfill located?
Kalmar Township
200
Why should plastic bags not go in your recycling bin?
They tangle inside the sorting equipment at MRF's
200
Name something you could bring to the compost site
Grass clippings, fallen leaves, garden waste, etc.
200
What types of batteries should be brought to the HWF?
Rechargeable batteries (Ex: lithium-ion, lithium-polymer, nickel-metal hydride, nickel cadmium, lead acid)
200
The OWEF reduces the volume of incoming garbage by approximately ___%?
90%
200
How many cells are located at the landfill?
3
300
Where is curbside recycling taken once it has been collected by your waste hauler?
MRF's = Materials Recovery Facilities
300
What is a common contaminant at the compost site?
Brush, rocks, pet waste, branches, woody roots, sawdust, hedge trimmings, noxious/invasive weeds, etc.
300
Name a word that could indicate a potentially hazardous material
Poisonous, flammable, dangerous, corrosive, reactive, etc.
300
How is the OWEF primarily funded?
Tipping fees & service charge
300
The landfill would have been filled ___ times by 2022 if it were not for the OWEF.
4
400
What is closed loop recycling?
The process of recycling an item infinitely
400
In the summer how fast can yard waste decompose into compost?
2-3 months
400
What percentage of waste brought to the HWF is placed in the Reuse Center?
About 40%
400
Buildings that receive steam for heating/cooling and/or electricity from the OWEF are part of the _____ System?
District Energy System
400
What do we call the rainwater that has filtered through the landfill?
Leachate
500
Name the two recyclables that are accepted in your curbside cart that are not accepted at the OCRC
Cartons & boxboard
500
Grass clippings provide a high amount of which element to finished compost?
Nitrogen
500
What is this item & why it should be brought to the HWF?
Compact fluorescent lightbulb; It contains mercury
500
How many tons of garbage did the OWEF process in 2021?
Approximately 112,000 tons of garbage
500
What makes our landfill site unique from the rest of the county & why is this important?
The landfill sits upon a layer of clay that is not present anywhere else in Olmsted County. The clay acts as an additional barrier beneath the landfill to protect our groundwater from absorbing any pollutants that the landfill might release over time.