St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District
The St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District has been working to expand recycling in the St. Louis region since 1993. The District is a regional public agency that serves St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson and St. Charles counties. Almost two million people reside within the District, making ours the largest of the twenty Solid Waste Management Districts in Missouri.
These Districts assist local governments, private businesses, and non-profit organizations in establishing and expanding waste reduction, recycling, composting, education, and household hazardous waste programs. Each of these programs plays an important role in properly managing the waste generated by homes and businesses on a daily basis.
The growth in recycling has been tremendous since Missouri’s recycling law was passed in 1990, when less than 5% of all waste was being diverted from disposal. According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, more than 45% is now being diverted from disposal. That is a huge increase in a very short time, and recycling is poised to continue this growth in the coming years. Missouri has developed a vigorous recycling industry that expands our economy, protects our environment, and strengthens our communities.
The District has assisted in this effort in several ways. In addition to technical assistance and educational resources that have helped the industry grow, the main tool has been the waste reduction and recycling grant program. Since inception, the District has provided more than 900 grants totaling in excess of $38 million dollars to help all aspects of the recycling industry. This may seem like a lot of money, but it translates to just about $1 per person per year. This assistance has helped catalyze the growth of the industry by fostering collaboration and cooperation to form true public-private partnerships, which leverage tremendous amounts of additional investment.
The District appreciates the thousands of dedicated people who have committed their professional and volunteer efforts to develop an industry that will serve our state for years to come. With their tireless work, the St. Louis region has accomplished significant waste reduction. The District is honored to work alongside these dedicated individuals. They are the true heroes in this transformation, and the region owes them a debt of thanks. As the District works to confront the enormous environmental challenges facing our society, recycling continues to make strides to protect our environment, while growing our economy with jobs and taxes.
The District thanks and congratulates all of our partners for a job well done, and let’s keep up the good work!
Parkway School District’s Recycling & Waste Reduction Program
Student involvement is once again rejuvenating the Parkway School District’s recycling program. It all started in 1990 when three elementary school students took the lead in getting the recycling initiative underway. Parkway’s program has grown steadily over the years to address many of the conservation and recycling concerns of not only the school district, but the community as well.
Most recently, three high school students; Abby Lammers, Julia Goldman and Jacqueline Sotraidis made a persuasive presentation to Dr. Keith Marty, Parkway’s Superintendent, highlighting the need for Parkway to not only continue, but to expand a pilot composting program.
Their efforts paid off twofold. Impressed with their initiative, Dr. Marty supported the idea to expand the composting program, which focuses on school trays and food waste. The program’s success – much of this based on active student involvement – paved the way for the entire district to participate in the composting program. Each year, the composting program alone will divert 720 tons from the landfill; nearly doubling the District’s existing recycling efforts.
The Missouri Recycling Association officially recognized it as the “Outstanding Small Organics Diversion Program” for 2013. In September, Dr. Marty, Abby Lammers, Julia Goldman, Parkway teacher Russ Barton, and Erik Lueders, Parkway’s Sustainability & Purchasing Manager, were on hand to accept the award in Jefferson City. Jacqueline Sotraidis, a recent graduate, was not in attendance.
Currently, Parkway recovers some 750-800 tons of single-stream material every year through a partnership with Republic Services. Parkway’s single-stream recycle bins also serve as convenient drop-off sites for residents throughout the district’s 65 square mile footprint. Last year, when the District piloted the new compostable lunch trays, they utilized composting services provided by Blue Skies Recycling and St. Louis Composting.
In addition to single-stream recycling and composting, Parkway recovers virtually all recyclable materials throughout the District. Examples include electronics, florescent lights and ballasts, wooden pallets, shrink wrap, and scrap metal, concrete, asphalt from their construction sites. Parkway’s recycling and recovery operation is in compliance with the appropriate local codes, as well as the Environmental Protection Association’s regulations.
Parkway’s recycling and waste management program has received numerous awards and growing recognition regarding energy conservation, pollution prevention, environmental excellence and the overall operations of the recycling and waste management program.
The Parkway School District, located in West St. Louis County, is a suburban public school district that includes approximately 20,000 students and staff, along with and 28 school buildings in 13 different municipalities.
Funding for the Parkway School District’s recycling and waste management program is funded, in part, by the St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
Regional Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility Open For Reservations!
Household hazardous wastes (HHW) are unwanted household products that contain ingredients that are flammable, toxic, reactive, and/or corrosive. After years of holding one-day collection events, there is now a regional household hazardous waste collection facility for St. Louis County, St. Louis City, and Jefferson County residents. The facility is located at 291 E. Hoffmeister, St. Louis, MO 63125 (Lemay area) and use is by reservation.
Visit www.hhwstl.com to schedule a drop-off reservation for residential HHW only. Residents without internet access may call their jurisdiction for assistance in making a reservation:
Saint Louis County: 314-615-8958
Saint Louis City: 314-622-4800
Jefferson County: 636-797-5043
Items Accepted:
Paints, stains, varnishes, wood preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, poisons, fertilizers, solvents and strippers, aerosols, motor oil and filters, gas cylinders (BBQ- pit size or smaller), fluorescent tubes, batteries (rechargeable, car batteries), driveway sealant, items containing mercury (thermometers, thermostats, mercuric salts), gasoline.
Items NOT Accepted:
Explosives and ammunition, radioactive waste, smoke detectors, medical and infectious waste, prescription drugs and medications, computers, televisions and other electronic devices, tires, bulky wastes (furniture, carpeting), trash.
Fees
- Latex paint is being accepted for recycling, but residents must pay a fee of 20 cents per pound (about $2.00 for a full gallon). Unlike other household chemical waste, latex paint is not actually hazardous. If completely dried out, latex paint can be safely disposed of in your trash.
- For all other eligible HHW, there is a 50-pound limit.
- If you have more than 50 pounds of HHW, you can still bring it in at the time of your appointment, but you will be charged our contracted fee to handle the additional material, which is $1.00 per pound for the extra HHW.
The best way to manage HHW is to not create it in the first place! This starts at the point of purchase by choosing safer alternatives (i.e. avoiding products labeled warning, danger, corrosive, or poison). Buy only what you will use and if you have leftovers, share them with neighbors, family, or community organizations.
Funding for the permanent program comes, in part, from the St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Additional funding comes from voter-approved St. Louis County landfill surcharge fees.
Find It On The Web — Recycling Information
Associations, Organizations and resources
America Recycles Day- www.americarecyclesday.org
Earth 911 – www.earth911.org
e-cycle St. Louis – www.ecyclestlouis.org
e-cycle Missouri – www.e-cyclemo.org
Envirolink – www.envirolink.org
Global Recycling Network – www.grn.com
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program-www.HHWSTL.com
Keep America Beautiful – www.Kab.org
Missouri Recycling Association – www.mora.org
National Recycling Coalition – www.nrcrecycles.org
Resource St. Louis – www.resourcestlouis.org
St. Louis Green – www.stlouisgreen.com
The Healthy Planet magazine: www.thehealthyplanet.com
LOCAL RECYCLING INFORMATION – GOVERNMENT
- City of St. Louis – www.stlouis-mo.gov (Search Recycling, click Refuse Division’s Recycling Program)
- Jefferson County Residents – www.jeffcomo.org (Then go to Services and click Recycling)
- St. Louis County Recycling Information – www.recyclesaintlouis.com
- St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District – www.swmd.net
- St. Charles County Recycling Information – www.health.sccmo.org/health/