Prepare Your Home for Spring Flooding

Your home and property do not have to be in a floodplain to be impacted by flooding. Reducing the amount of unnecessary hazardous materials in your home and properly storing others before it floods will minimize risks to human health and the environment. 

Check basements, garages, and sheds for hazardous materials.

• Take hazardous materials you no longer need to the Environmental Center. 

• Safely dispose of unwanted medications at a Washington County medication drop box. 

Store hazardous materials properly.

• Label all containers. Replace if faded or missing.
• Keep products and wastes in the original sealed containers and in good condition.
• Store materials inside if practical and safe. Utilize waterproof containers, second story storage, and/or high shelving to store above the expected high-water level. 
• Secure materials and equipment so that they do not float away or break open, endangering structures or people. 

Join the Earth Day Action Quest

Earth Day Action Quest is back again this year! Participants can choose Earth-friendly activities to complete during the month of April. You can learn how to shop low waste, repair broken items, watch a video of a recycling facility, tour the Recycling & Energy Center, and more. 

Complete at least three activities to be entered into a drawing for a $25 Visa Gift Card. The final day of the Earth Day Action Quest is April 30.

Get started today!

Recycle More at Your Next Event

Portable recycling containers are available to borrow for collecting mixed recycling such as bottles and cans at gatherings like graduation parties, family reunions, block parties, and similar events. Bags are included.  

• Go to WashCoRecycles.com/EventRecycling and scroll to “Recycling Container Loan”.  
• Fill out and submit the online reservation form.  
• You will receive an email reply notifying you if the containers are available for the time you want.  
• Pick up the containers at the site chosen. 

Summer Hours Begin at Yard Waste Site

Summer hours are back at the Northern Yard Waste Site in Hugo. For resident convenience, the site will be open four days a week through November. Drop off leaves, grass, brush, and tree waste free of charge. Food scraps are also accepted but must be kept separate from yard waste. 

Learn more

2023 Shredding Days Kick-off in April

Once paper is shredded, it is very difficult to recycle. When shredded in bulk and kept out of mixed recycling, paper is much easier to recycle. That's why Washington County offers free paper shredding events for confidential papers at the Environment Center. Documents will be shredded on-site by Shred Right and recycled. CDs, floppy disks, and other media will be accepted for off-site destruction. These events are free and open to residents and small businesses.

All events are from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The first two hours tend to be the busiest, consider coming later to minimize your wait time or attend a one-day collection event.

View dates and instructions

Medication Drop-off Event on April 22

Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands, which can be dangerous and often tragic. To help combat the misuse of prescription drugs and promote safe medication disposal, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Public Health & Environment are hosting a collection event at Wildwood Elementary from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

The event is free, anonymous, and open to all. Medications accepted include prescription, over-the-counter, and pet medication.

Learn more