Current Events

Randy Przybysz

Mr. Randy Przybysz becomes the Executive Director of the Solid Waste Management District.

Upcoming Events

March 2010 - Spring is in the Air

It’s time to clean out those basements, closets, attics, bookshelves, boxes and cabinets.  Thanks to the many who donated, our Fall Book Collection netted 2 tons of books, 800 cell phones, 75 pairs of shoes and 300 eye glasses all of which were donated to area nonprofit agencies for reuse.

We will again provide this clean-up and donate event! All SHOES must be paired and rubber bands placed around them please! NO: jelly or plastic shoes, golf or cleated shoes, western boots or roller skates, bedroom slippers. All shoes must be free of tears, grass stains, dirt and excluded if they are generally worn out. Donated BOOKS will only be accepted if they are morally appropriate. While you are at it, drop off your old CELL PHONE so it can be donated to the Women’s Shelter for emergency use. We are also accepting old used EYE GLASSES which will be donated to the Lions Organization. These items will be put to good use rather than wastefully being dumped into the landfill. Just drop all items off at the District at 621 East Jefferson Blvd. Monday thru Friday, March 22 thru April 2 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. or the Household Hazardous Waste facility at 1105 East 5th Street in Mishawaka Tuesday thru Saturday, March 23 thru April 3 from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

April 2010 - Several Events

Days will be announced for these future events.

• Clean Your Files Day
• Earth Day/Arbor Day

May 2010 - Several Events

• Composting Workshop - Tuesday - May 11

• Senior Safety Fair and Triad Pill Drop - May 15

Bins used in 2010

Our recycling contract which began in January 2009 with Borden Waste-Away Service uses a 96-gallon or 35-gallon recycling bins for the elderly who meet a certain criteria.
If you have not received your Borden open-top container, please make request for a new bin (shown below), contact the District at (574) 235-9971 or call Borden Waste-Away Service at (800) 683-6801.

For old recycling bins, you have three options:

1. Keep your bin for your own personal use     OR
2. You can drop your bin to either of the following locations:

• The District Office located on 621 E. Jefferson Street, South Bend     OR
• Our Household Hazardous Waste Site at 1105 East 5th Street, Mishawaka

Impact of Mercury on Environment

Mercury containing devices are harmful to the environment. Old household thermostats and fluorescent bulbs, both containing mercury, can be recycled at the Household Hazardous Waste Center in Mishawaka. Bulbs will be accepted on Tuesday or Thursdays between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and they must be unbroken and properly packed in boxes made for fluorescent bulbs.

If you have a friend or associate that operates a heating and cooling business, remind them that the district will accept thermostats and fluorescent lamps free of charge. Together we can prevent further damage to our waterways and aquatic life by safely disposing and recycling of these items at a mercury collection center such as our full-time, year round drop-off site at 1105 E 5th St. in Mishawaka which is open Tuesday-Saturday 8:30-3:30 pm. This center also accepts used oil, paint, lawn & garden chemicals, and ni-cad or lithium batteries.

Mercury is used in a variety of manufacturing processes and products such as thermometers and compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. If you improperly dispose of products with mercury in them, they may break and release mercury vapors which are harmful to human and ecological health.

We are recommending that you please follow the instructions shown on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) web site. It provides instructions on how to handle and dispose of mercury related products. Specifically, you can take the mercury-containing item to our Hoursehold Hazardous Waste (HHW) site in Mishawaka for proper disposal.

Donations

Why not donate your dishwares, clothing, shoes, furniture, building materials, home improvement left-overs and office or kitchen appliances? Even after you no longer have a need for these items, many businesses in the community can benefit from your donations.

Not only do you allow these items to be reused by someone else, but you prevent these items from being discarded in the landfill. (Broken, torn or non-functioning items should be discarded in the general trash.) Check the following organizations for donation locations.

• Goodwill Industries International, Inc. - Stores
• Habitat for Humanity (ReStore) - Discount Building Materials
• The Salvation Army
• St. Vincent DePaul, Inc.-Thrift Store

2010 Calendar Magnets Available

The District has mailed your 2010 Calendar Magnets. If you have not received your magnet in the mail, please contact the District at (574) 235-9971 or e-mail Randy Przbysz

Comments

If you have a request (i.e., need a bin or other service from the District), an idea or comment, please phone (574) 235-9971 or fax (574) 235-9973 them to us at our office.

Other items or materials not handled by the District

We receive a number of calls asking us about the handling of different types of items that are not acceptable recycling materials. Some of the items are concrete, asphalt, scrap metal, furniture, and clothing, etc. If you have such items, please refer to other disposal servers to see other organizations who may accept your item.

Additional Solid Waste Management Payment Services Options

Since 2006, the District announced two new customer service options. The first (1) option will be the use the on-line page within this web site to make a MasterCard or Vista Credit Card Payment to pay for your curbside recycling services. It uses a secure web page using Authorize.net.

The second (2) option is the use of a credit or debit card to process your payment for curbside recycling services by telephone or in person at our Jefferson street office.

Invitations for Solid Waste Management Educational Presentations

The district conducts educational persentations and can provide educational materials to educators or any public organization who would be interested in running an educational program for to their members. Programs have been conducted at various schools and public locations (See Trash a Pizza ).

See how the Girl Scouts of Troop # 49 are learning the value of recycling.

Please call the district for additional information.

Learn how to handle Electonic Scrap Materials

As Hoosiers receive new electronic devices, such as televisions, computers, hand-held games, and cell phones, they may not know what to do with their unwanted and outdated electronic devices. Businesses are in the same boat, purchasing new computers, printers and more, and needing to get rid of them.

The Indiana Recycling Coalition (IRC) has initiated a statewide campaign to let Hoosiers know that electronic devices contain hazardous material, such as lead and mercury, and should not be thrown in the trash. Instead, the IRC provides many resources for reusing and recycling electronics when they are no longer needed.

The IRC has created a new informational web site at www.eScrapIndiana.org to highlight these resources. The website is a one-stop-shop for all information about proper management of electronics.

Indiana's Statewide Illegal Burning Education Campaign

The Solid Waste Management District of St. Joseph County has joined a statewide cooperative of 25 local Solid Waste Management Districts and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to address the serious problem of illegal burning of trash across Indiana. Indiana's Statewide Illegal Burning Education Campaign links Hoosier communities in an effort to fight illegal burning and will educate citizens that this behavior is no longer acceptable due to substantial risks to human health and our environment.

National Soft Drink Association

See National Soft Drink Association's  -  Annual 2003 Comprehensive Litter Prevention Awards.

Past Events

Those events we've participated in the previous year include: