A special waste collection for residential electronics, appliances, tires and media storage was held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 13 in Salem at Salem S/W Parking Lot, located at the corner of Third and Grand. Assisting in the special waste collection were several city staff and county officials, including Public Works Director Steve Paine, Economic Development Director Carrie Sutterfield, Mayor Greg Parker, and Dent County Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson.
The city of Salem, Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and Dent County Commission with funding through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD) partnered on the Sept. 13 collection.
The solid waste district is tasked with reducing the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill by 40 percent. Larson chairs the solid waste district board. MRPC provides administration of the district and assists with a variety of implementation projects, including this special waste collection.
Jill Hollowell with MRPC reported there were a total of 64 attending with a grand total of 137 tires collected. Other notable item were TVs, in which there were 26 recycled.
It's encouraged to utilize recycling resources available locally, such as Scenic Rivers Industries, available from Monday to Thursday. Also, the Salem Public Library also has available to the public a battery collection box for button and alkaline batteries.
“We’ll have a truck come over on Monday to pick up all the tires and recycle those tires,” reported Hollowell. “They get turned into things like park benches and picnic tables.”
The recycled tires can also get turned into playground tiles.
“What’s really nice is that every year the Department of Natural Resources holds a grant round, so communities can actually apply to purchase those items,” shared Hollowell. “That’s called closing the loop—they’re bringing their tires here, the tires get recycled, and then they get put back out into the community in a different form.”
Hollowell also noted that the recycled tires can be utilized in asphalt. The upfront costs of the asphalt with recycled content may be higher, but the asphalt is more durable and longer lasting, shared Hollowell. The recycled content is also better for the environment, lessening the pollutant run off into our streams.
