Litter Bit Better effort looking for volunteers
Mar. 18—ROCHESTER — This year's Litter Bit Better cleanup effort starts April 30.
Volunteers are being encouraged to register for the week-long cleanup effort. Registration information, maps and more can be found at
www.RNeighbors.org/litterbitbetter
.
Since Litter Bit Better's first year in 2007, volunteers have collected more than 140 tons of litter.
"In addition to Litter Bit Better, residents are encouraged to learn more about best practices for waste disposal and recycling," said Stephanie Hatzenbihler, Rochester Public Works' environmental education specialist.
Potential steps Hatzenbihler recommends are:
Prevent litter at home — Place all trash in a plastic bag and tie the bag shut before throwing it away. Do not overload your garbage and recycling containers and make sure each container cover closes completely. This helps prevent windblown trash from entering your neighborhood.
Recycle — Learn what can be recycled with your curbside hauler or at the Olmsted County Recycling Center Plus. All items should be clean, dry, and empty and then placed loosely in your recycling cart.
Address household hazardous waste — Olmsted County has a Hazardous Waste Facility located at 305 Energy Parkway NE, Rochester, MN 55906 and is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Some hazardous materials have fees to dispose them, while others are free. Visit
www.olmstedcounty.gov/residents/garbage-recycling
for more details.
Turn trash to treasure — Several organizations in Rochester accept donations of items that are still in good condition, but that you don't need anymore. Preventing usable items from entering the waste system is a top best practice.
