Congratulations Lyon County! You were able to recycle nearly 200 tons of recyclables each month in April and in June. This figure is only reflecting items that we are able to place in our recycling carts such as paper, aluminum cans, tin cans, glass food containers and plastic food containers.

We can recycle so much more in Lyon County but these items do not go into our recycling carts. Electronics such as computers can go to the Household Hazardous Waste facility. Appliances such as microwaves, dehumidifiers, air conditioners, refrigerators, stoves and washer/dryers can go to a collection point at the landfill. Tires can be recycled at the landfill. Televisions can go to either the landfill collection point or to the Household Hazardous Waste facility. There may be a fee for some of these items.

Plastic bags and plastic wrap are no longer accepted into our recycling carts. We can still recycle them by bringing them back to retailers. Vinyl siding can be brought to the Household Hazardous Waste facility or the construction/demolition landfill collection point located at the Lyon County Landfill. Scrap metal can be recycled at Alter Metal in Marshall. Needles can be brought to the hospital. You will need to make sure that you are packaging them correctly before bringing them. Unused medicine should go to the Sheriff’s Department drop off box.

Diapers, Styrofoam, heavy plastics like laundry baskets, tanglers (hoses, cords), medical waste and garbage should always go into the garbage and never into the recycling carts, sheds or roll offs. It takes time, money and is a safety issue for those who are working on separating these items out of our recyclables each week.

Styrofoam recycling will be starting later this fall. Styrofoam will not be recycled in our carts at any point but will need to be brought to the Public Works building for recycling. Please keep watching for news that we are ready to go with this important recycling program.

Clothing, shoes and good, usable furniture should go to an area thrift store or have a garage sale to help move some of these items out of your house. If the furniture is broken, it will have to be taken to the landfill and there will be a fee to dispose of it there. Toys that are still good should also go to the thrift store. Hasbro has a recycling program too for that specific brand of toys too.

If you are looking to recycle some hard-to-recycle products, you can check out Terracycle’s website. They have some free recycling programs for different items and also zero waste recycling for a fee. You can also check out Waste Management’s Recycle by Mail program. In our area they offer recycling for a fee for needles, batteries and light bulbs. While these programs are a good tool, it wouldn’t hurt to double check that these items are accepted into some form of recycling in Lyon County as well.

Lyon County also takes clean, dry, mattresses and box springs that are free of bedbugs for a $7 fee. Mattresses must be brought to the Public Works Building at the Lyon County Fairgrounds. Mattresses must be inspected before they are unloaded. Mattresses or box springs that are infested with bed bugs will go to the Lyon County Landfill for a higher fee. Car seats are accepted at the Public Works building as well and are recycled for free.

Accepted Construction/demolition materials that can go to the Lyon County Landfill collection point include: asphalt, vinyl siding, Sheetrock, brick, plastic building parts, tile, built-in-cabinetry, rock, untreated wood, concrete, roofing materials, drywall, vinyl siding and wiring. If you separate your construction/demolition materials from your landfill waste, you can save quite a bit of money on your next project.

Household hazardous waste (HHW) accepts such things as paint, varnish, lawn and garden chemicals, pool chemicals, fluorescent light bulbs, rechargeable batteries, and household cleaners. There may be a small charge for some items. Rechargeable batteries should always be brought to the HHW facility and never thrown in the trash or recycling. Businesses who have hazardous waste must contact the office before bringing items to the facility. Do not bag items.

The Lyon County Landfill is open Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturdays 7 a.m.-noon. It is located at 2025 200th Ave. Lynd. Telephone 507-865-4615. The Lyon County Environmental office/Household Hazardous Waste Facility is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. every second Saturday of the month. It is located at 504 Fairgrounds Road, Marshall. Telephone 507-532-8210.