AUSTIN, Minn. – After being closed for a month and a half, Mower County’s recycling facilities and hazardous waste collection will reopen on Monday.
They were shut down on March 18, along with curbside recycling collection and rural recycling drop-off areas, due to worries over the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are pleased to reopen the recycling and hazardous-waste facilities to serve the public,” says Commissioner Mike Ankeny. “It is a very important program for the environment.”
Mower County says its recycling center has up to 12 employees from the nonprofit Cedar Valley Services (CVS) who help sort and collect recyclables. CVS says it has implemented new policies for their employees including social distancing and frequent hand washing, and they will be equipped with PPE gear and instructions.
The county says it is making several requests of the public:
• Help phase-in the startup by not putting all recycling at curbside and not bringing all recycling to the drop-off facilities the first day or week.
• Use the curbside service if it is provided instead of bringing it to the drop-off sites.
• Back vehicles into the marked (striped) stalls at the drop-off facility and maintain social distancing as much as possible.
• Observe signs and delineators.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection will open for regular Wednesday hours starting Wednesday. Only one customer will be allowed in the facility at a time.
“We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as we reopen our recycling program to serve the citizens of Mower County,” says Commissioner Tim Gabrielson.