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January 2020
An environmental health newsletter from Ramsey County.
Splash Products Saves $15,000 a Year by Recycling More
 Splash Products is a locally-owned manufacturer of windshield wash, ice melt, wiper blades, antifreeze and cleaners. Splash Products was already recycling cardboard, pallets and discarded plastic from molding bottles. But Splash Products managers felt there was more they could be doing, so they reached out to BizRecycling for help.
A BizRecycling grant helped Splash Products managers build a new waste enclosure to house their recycling and trash dumpsters. They also purchased color-coded recycling bins for use throughout their facility. With these changes, Splash Products was able to downsize from a 40-yard trash compactor to an 8-yard dumpster, adding up to $15,000 a year in savings. Splash Products managers are reinvesting that money into their business, helping to create new technology for their manufacturing processes.
As receiving manager, Dan Clark, praised, “We have had great success with the BizRecycling program. The grant process is easy and allows businesses to capitalize on potential savings, while making a positive impact on our environment.”
Splash Products will soon be adding an organics recycling program to capture food scraps and paper towels.
BizRecycling works with businesses in Ramsey and Washington counties to improve their recycling and food scraps collection. Learn more at BizRecycling.com or call 651-266-1199.
Proper Disposal of Christmas Trees
 As a precaution to reduce the spread of Elongate Hemlock Scale, an invasive tree insect pest, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture advises that you not leave your evergreen Christmas tree in your yard all winter. When you are ready to take down your Christmas tree, use one of these disposal options:
- Bring your Christmas tree a Ramsey County yard waste site for free. Trees and branches are accepted at Arden Hills, Frank and Sims, Midway and White Bear Township sites only. For hours and locations, visit RamseyRecycles.com/yardwaste or call 651-633 EASY (3279). Remove all decorations, lights, tinsel and tree bags. Flocked trees are not accepted and may be placed in the trash.
- Contact your trash hauler to see if they will take your Christmas tree to a commercial compost site for you. A fee will be charged.
While a Christmas tree can legally be placed in the trash, we encourage you to bring it to a compost site where it will be turned into mulch.
Proper Disposal of Holiday Wreaths and Garland
Last holiday season, the invasive Elongate Hemlock Scale insect was found on holiday wreaths and garland. With the continued threat of this tree pest, please bag all holiday greenery, including wreaths, garland, swags, boughs and potted arrangements and place them in the trash. If you have questions, call 651-633-EASY (3279).
Tips for Using Your Wood Burning Fireplace
 Many people enjoy warming up next to a cozy wood burning fireplace. But, it’s important to follow safety tips to protect yourself, your home and your family. If you have a wood burning fireplace, please follow these simple tips to stay safe and healthy:
- Only burn wood that has been aged for at least six months. Seasoned wood burns hotter, cuts fuel consumption and reduces the amount of smoke produced from your fireplace.
- Use only clean newspaper or dry kindling to start a fire. Never use gasoline, kerosene, charcoal starter or a propane torch.
- Don’t let your fire smolder overnight. It does little for heating and increases air pollution.
- Clean ashes from your fireplace. Excess ashes can clog the air intake vents of your fireplace, reducing efficiency. Dispose of ashes in a metal container, away from the house and any flammable material, to reduce risk of fire.
- Keep your chimney clean. A clean chimney provides a good draft and reduces the risk of a chimney fire. Have your chimney inspected by a professional once a year.
Visit www.epa.gov/burnwise for more information on how to burn wisely.
Radon Test Kits Available for Only $2
 January is National Radon Action Month. Two in five homes tested in Minnesota have radon levels that could pose a major health risk. You can purchase a test kit at any time from Ramsey County for only $2.
Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas and is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking. It can enter your home through the foundation and floor-wall joints. Winter is the best time to test for radon.
For more information, call the Environmental Health office at 651-266-1199 or email HealthyHomes@ramseycounty.us.
Clean Your Home Safely
 When using household cleaners, read product labels carefully so that you can choose a product that is the best fit for your needs. Products are formulated for specific uses. For example, toilet bowl cleaners are designed to remove hard water stains. Glass cleaners are formulated to be fast drying. Disinfecting products are designed to kill bacteria, not for cleaning. So, choose the right cleaner for the job.
Most importantly, do not combine products which contain bleach with ammonia or any other cleaners. When using bleach, wear rubber gloves and eye protection. Also, open windows and turn on vents to release the toxic fumes from your house.
If you have leftover cleaning products you no longer use, bring them to Ramsey County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Site for safe disposal.
Now Accepting All Batteries!
 Batteries can start fires in the trash if not recycled properly. With so many different kinds of batteries, it can be confusing to know which batteries can be recycled. Ramsey County is making it simple by accepting all batteries for recycling.
Follow these three simple steps to recycle your batteries:
- Begin by putting a small piece of tape over the positive and negative ends of each battery. Use clear packing tape, electrical tape or duct tape. Do not use masking or painters tape. Alkaline batteries don’t require taping, but if you’re not sure what type of battery you have, please tape it anyway.
- Place the taped batteries in a plastic tub with a loose-fitting or breathable lid and store in a cool, dry location until you are ready to recycle them.
- Bring the batteries for recycling to Ramsey County’s Household Hazardous Waste facility.
Before you leave, don’t forget to check your home and garage for any other household hazardous waste items you’d like to get rid of such as paint, fluorescent light bulbs, used oil, and aerosol cans.
Click here for more information on directions, hours, and items accepted.
Changes to Your Trash Bill
 All residential trash in Ramsey County is delivered to the Recycling & Energy Center (R&E Center) in Newport, where it is processed to recover valuable materials (such as recyclable metals) and produce a fuel used to generate electricity. By processing waste at the R&E Center instead of landfilling it, Ramsey and Washington counties are among the leaders in the state in responsible waste management.
In 2020, the R&E Center will be ending a subsidy and adjusting its rates. For an average household, which produces about a ton of garbage per year, the cost increase may be about $1.00-1.25 per month in 2020. If your bill is increasing by more than $1.25 per month, other factors may be affecting the hauler rate.
Learn more.
Year-Round Compost Bin Sale!
 Compost bins are sold year-round by the Recycling Association of Minnesota and can be picked up in Maplewood. The cost is $64 plus tax. Ramsey County residents can get an additional $20 off at RecycleMinnesota.org by entering promo code “Ramsey”. Or call 651-641-4589 and mention that you are a Ramsey County resident. Then call Ramsey County Environmental Health at 651-266-1199 to arrange a pick-up time.
Did you know?
When You Recycle, You Give Materials a New Life
Wonder what happens to your recycling? Read on!
Aluminum cans: Recycled back into cans.
Paper: Recycled into cardboard or boxboard.
Plastic soda bottles: recycled into carpeting and fabric.
Plastic milk and detergent bottles: recycled into plastic lumber and lawn furniture.
Glass bottles and jars: Recycled back into bottles and jars.
Improve the quality of your recyclables. Be sure to empty and rinse containers before you place them in your recycling cart. You can leave the caps on. Also flatten boxes and keep them dry. For a list of items that can and cannot be recycled, visit RamseyRecycles.com/GeneralRecycling.
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