The Black Hawk County Solid Waste Management Commission has a refundable damage deposit policy in place for using their portable recycling equipment. Recycling equipment is loaned out on a first-come, first served basis. For check-in/check-out staff scheduling purposes, advanced reservations are required at least two weeks prior to your event. It is advised that you send in your application as soon as you know your event date(s).

Refundable Damage Deposit

A refundable damage deposit check must accompany your Event Recycling Application to “officially” reserve equipment for your event. The Waste Trac Education Team will return your check after equipment is returned and inspected for cleanliness and any damage.

DEPOSIT REQUIRED TO BORROW EQUIPMENT:

1 – 25 recycling frames          $50 Deposit
26 – 50 recycling frames        $100 Deposit
51 – 75 recycling frames        $150 Deposit
76 – 105 recycling frames     $200 Deposit

1 two-wheeled cart                 $100 Deposit
2 two-wheeled carts               $200 Deposit

How Many Do You Need?

Not sure how many frames you may need? A good rule of thumb is to find out how many trash cans your event will have. For example, if you have a smaller event and have 8 trash cans, you will also want to have 8 recycling frames for deposit containers and 8 recycling frames from plastic bottles. For larger events, such as Irish Fest, it is recommended that you reserve all 30 recycling frames for deposit containers and 30 recycling frames from plastic bottles paired with your trash cans.

People will put their items in the closest container, regardless of whether it is for garbage or recycling. Pairing recycling frames with trash cans to create “recycling stations” helps to improve recycling rates and reduces the amount of contamination. Lonely recycling bins will end up full of everything!

Suggested locations for recycling stations include:

• At entrances/exits
• At transition points (between places that allow food/beverage and those that do not)
• Anywhere people will be waiting in line
• Near the grand stand or locations where people will be sitting for a period of time
• Near food/beverage stations (Note: only pair garbage bins with recycling bins if vendors are selling recyclable containers – otherwise, the location will increase contamination of recycling bins with waste)

Additional Tips

• For large fairs/festivals, lining up “clusters” of trash cans and recycling bins is far more effective than scattering single pairs of containers around the grounds.
• If you do not have enough recycling bins to pair with each trash bin, consider reducing the number of trash containers or creating clusters of trash containers to pair with a recycling bin.
• Collecting the recyclables and garbage is much easier to handle if there is a vehicle that can drive to each container and collect the bagged materials. Golf carts/gators that are already picking up garbage should collect recyclables too.

Learn more about event recycling:

• How the Program Works – download the application, brochure, and more
• Who Can Borrow the Equipment
• Equipment Available
• Other Helpful Resources for Planning a “Green” Event