New county facility adds additional recycling option

Dodge County has added to its recycling options with the opening of the Dodge County Renovation ReUse (DCRR) building.
Located south of the Dodge County Transfer Station on 240th Avenue, the facility provides a place to drop off some of those larger items not accepted at regular recycling sites, said Rita Cole, director of Environmental Services for the county. Now there is a place for usable building, construction, and household materials rather than the landfill.
Dodge County received a $120,549 Greater MN Recycling and Compost grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) that helped to construct the building, Cole said. Divided into two sections, the building has space for dropping off items that will be taken to Two Rivers Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore in Rochester and for items that will be stored until the county is able to have a sale to sell the items to the public at an affordable price. Items suitable for the Rochester ReStore are sold with the proceeds helping to fund construction of homes for families in need.
DCRR is currently open by appointment only with a drop-off charge of $5 per vehicle, Cole said. The county has also notified all area contractors that they can bring any unused materials from construction or remodeling projects to the facility. The fee, she said, will go towards maintaining the building and eventually having staff on-site.
Everything brought to the facility must be in working/usable condition. “Don’t bring what you would not buy yourself,” Cole said.
Items that are acceptable for DCRR include sporting goods including bikes, golf clubs, skis, kayaks; exercise equipment in working condition; furniture that is in good condition; kitchen cabinets, sinks, countertops, fixtures; paperback books; tools; outdoor toys; bathroom vanities, fixtures, sinks, accessories and tubs; usable building materials; lighting and fixtures; windows and door; flooring and wallcoverings. New or partial boxes of flooring and building materials are acceptable, Cole said.
Some items cannot be accepted, she said. These include clothing and textiles, shoes, mattresses/box springs, ammunition, paint, hazardous waste, electronics such as TVs, computers, chemicals, cribs, used carpet or items with peeling paint, rips, or stains.
Items accepted by the Two Rivers ReStore include usable and working appliances; modern bathtubs; bed frames; cabinets and cabinet doors and hardware in good condition; new carpet; ceiling fans; like new dishes and kitchenware; doors; faucets; garden tools; HVAC and related items; laminate flooring; lamps; lumber; mirrors; new/full cans of paint newer than five years; plumbing supplies; new tile; toilets (verifiable 1.6 gallons or less).
A complete list of acceptable materials can be found on the Dodge County website at www.dodge.mn,us/departments/environmental_services/reuse.php.
The Dodge County facility is located at 62770 240th Ave., Kasson, just south of the Dodge County Transfer Station. To set up an appointment or for more information call Cole at 507-635-6114 or Environmental Services at 507-635-6273.