SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) —Many homeowners have spent over a week cleaning up their flood-damaged homes and businesses. Some of those items are now ending up at the Sioux Falls Region landfill where staff are trying to make the process run as smoothly as possible.
The Sioux Falls Regional landfill is used to seeing large amounts of waste and are prepared for even more drop-offs.
“We have seen an increase in traffic at the landfill since the flood started. We’ll typically see about anywhere from 800 to 900 tons per day on a typical July day this year. We’ve been seeing anywhere from 900 to 20, 100 tons per day coming in through this flood event,” Sioux Falls Region landfill superintendent Donny Kuper said.
And that trash cannot stay on the curb of your home.
“People need somewhere to take their waste. So, we provide that service in this area. We’re a larger modern landfill with a lot of technology and just a lot of good opportunities for our regional folks to come to and utilize.” Kuper said.
While the landfill takes a lot of stuff, there are a few exceptions.
“You can bring items from your home, anything but hazardous waste. We also divert all of our electronics, anything that can be recycled, which can go to the local recycling facilities, and all your commercial haulers will collect your recycling material and divert those directly to the recycling center here in Sioux Falls. And then we also take recycling materials at the landfill in our public drop-off area,” Kuper said.
The Sioux Falls Regional Landfill has made it their goal to make sure everything is efficient and organized for drop-off.
“Normally they’re just normal dump ports where you can back up. Everything goes into one dumpster and goes out to the pit. Here, everything’s sorted metal, electronics, tires, trees, general. And if you have the ability, you can just go right up and dump,” Landfill user Joshua Fales said.
Not only does the landfill give you a place to dispose of your unwanted items it’s also beneficial to people’s health.
“And so, it’s a viable process that has been around for a long time. And it just helps protect the environment and health of our citizens,” Kuper said.
The landfill is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30-5:00. Anybody within the five-county region is able to use the landfill at their current rates.
