Residential Recycling Survey Lake County Dear Lake County Resident, Let your voice be heard about recycling. Fill out a survey. On the following pages is a survey about recycling and waste practices. It is intended to be filled out by both seasonal and year-round residents of Lake County. Lake County wants to understand your current activities and concerns regarding waste and recycling. Currently, the county s goal is to increase recycling as percentage of waste from 21% in 2016 to 35% by 2025. To best reach this goal, we want to implement plans that respond to your input. This survey is part of a larger county-wide recycling project I am working on throughout the year as a Minnesota GreenCorps member. My goal is to work toward increasing recycling participation in the county recycling by making it easier for you to do so. Your knowledge and participation matter. This is a chance to voice your thoughts and concerns about recycling. Please fill out the survey and return it by November 17, 2017. The survey only takes 5-10 minutes to complete. All responses are anonymous. Thank you so much for your time and honesty. Sincerely, Kendra Klenz Minnesota GreenCorps Member Lake County Environmental Services Department Kendra.klenz@co.lake.mn.us (218) 834-8581 Please feel free to contact me if you have questions, comments, or want to get involved. I want to hear from you! If you have any questions about solid waste in Lake County, please visit the county website: www.co.lake.mn.us or call (218) 834-8304 If you want to learn more about the Minnesota GreenCorps program that I am involved in, visit www.pca.state.mn.us/waste/minnesota-greencorps Lake County Residential Recycling Survey 2017 Page 1 of 6
RECYCLING AND WASTE First, we would like to learn about waste and recycling in your household. All your answers are anonymous and confidential. Please answer as completely and honestly as you can. 1. Do you have your household garbage and/or recycling hauled? 1 Yes (GO TO QUESTION 2) 1a. What are some reasons you do not have your garbage (and recycling) hauled? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY) 1 Haulers do not service where I live 2 Cost of service 3 Other (specify) 1b. If you do not have your garbage hauled, how do you manage your waste? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY) 1 Take it to permanent/other residence 2 Haul it to a proper disposal site 3 Leave it in a public place (like a curb) or on someone else s property 4 Burn 5 Bury 6 Other (specify) GO TO QUESTION 5 2. Who is your hauler? 1 G-men Environmental Services, Inc. 2 John s Sanitary Removal 3 Maher Trucking 4 North Shore Sanitary 5 6 7 8 Nelson Machine Products Waste Management Other (specify) Don t Know 2a. Are you aware that haulers must provide curbside recycling collection to customers at least once a month? 1 Yes 3. Do you currently participate in curbside recycling collection at your home? 1 Yes (GO TO QUESTION 4), I haul my own recycling to a recycling center or transfer station 3 No 3a. What are some reasons for not recycling at the curb? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY) 1 I didn t know that I could recycle at the curb 2 I don t have curbside recycling service 3 It costs extra to recycle 4 Pickup is not often enough 5 I don t have enough recyclable items to make separating them from my garbage worth it 6 I can take my recycling to a drop-off site for free 7 Other (specify) GO TO QUESTION 5 Lake County Residential Recycling Survey 2017 Page 2 of 6
4. How often do you have recycling picked up? 1 About once a week 2 About every other week 3 About once a month 4 Less than once a month 5 Other (specify) 4a. Is this frequency of pickup sufficient for you? 1 Yes 5. How often do you recycle the following items, whether at home or someplace else? Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never I don t use this item/does not apply a. Aluminum cans 5 6 b. Steel cans 5 6 c. Cereal boxes and other similar packaging 5 6 d. Office paper 5 6 e. Corrugated cardboard 5 6 f. Newspaper and magazines 5 6 g. Glass bottles and jars 5 6 h. Plastic bottles and containers 5 6 6. What would motivate you to start recycling or to recycle more? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY) 1 More frequent pick up of recycling 2 Recycling bins provided for your home 3 Having clear instructions regarding what, how and when to recycle 4 I am satisfied and/or not interested in trying to recycle more 5 Other (specify) 7. How confusing do you find the following aspects of recycling? Very Somewhat Not at all confusing confusing confusing Does not apply a. Which plastics are recyclable 1 2 3 6 b. Recycling collection days 1 2 3 6 c. Haulers sorting requirements for recycling 1 2 3 6 d. Where to dispose of electronics or appliances 1 2 3 6 e. Where to dispose of yard waste 1 2 3 6 f. Where to take demolition waste 1 2 3 6 g. What counts as household hazardous waste 1 2 3 6 7a. Are there any other recycling topics you feel confused about? Lake County Residential Recycling Survey 2017 Page 3 of 6
8. Do you know that Lake County operates the following sites for handling recycling and waste? a. A recycling center in Two Harbors b. A household hazardous waste and reuse facility in Two Harbors c. A demolition landfill near Castle Danger d. A solid waste transfer station in Fall Lake Township Yes, I have used this Yes No No, but I plan to use now that I know 8a. If you answered, Yes I have used this, how often do you use any of these facilities? About once About once About twice About once a Only one or a week a month a year year two times ever a. Recycling center in Two Harbors 5 b. Household hazardous waste and reuse facility in Two Harbors c. Demolition landfill near Castle Danger d. Solid waste transfer station in Fall Lake Township 5 5 5 9. Some communities hold collection days throughout the year to give residents a convenient and local disposal option for household hazardous waste, electronics, and other items. Would you be interested in a community collection day near where you live for the following items? a. Household hazardous waste 1 2 b. Electronics 1 2 c. Appliances and other bulky items 1 2 9a. Are there any other items for which you would like to see a community collection day? 10. Lake County is interested in increasing opportunities to recycle in public spaces. Which two of the following locations would you most like to see more recycling bins? (SELECT YOUR TOP 2) 1 Public walkways, sidewalks and streets 6 Parks and athletic fields/centers 2 Community events/large events 7 State Parks 3 Restaurants 8 Other 4 Gas stations 9 More recycling bins are unnecessary 5 Stores and shopping centers Yes No COMPOSTING Food scraps and other organic waste is compostable and can be used to make valuable, nutrient-rich soil. However, it often ends up in a landfill. This section is meant to gauge your interest in different composting possibilities for the county. Lake County Residential Recycling Survey 2017 Page 4 of 6
11. Do you have a compost bin at your home? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY) 1 Yes, indoor 2 Yes, outdoor 3 No 12. How much would you support or oppose implementing the following composting programs in Lake County? a. Increasing education and promotion of backyard composting b. Implementing drop-off sites for food waste (similar to yard waste sites) c. Collecting food waste curbside in a separate bag or bin d. Requiring schools, hotels, restaurants, etc. to separate food waste for collection Strongly Support Somewhat Support Somewhat Oppose Strongly Oppose Please write additional comments you have about composting in Lake County below COMMUNICATION The following questions will be used to find out how to best communicate with you in the future about waste and recycling information and programs. 13. How do you prefer to receive news and information about recycling? (SELECT YOUR TOP 3) 1 Newspaper 2 Radio 3 Websites or online news 4 Social media (for example, Facebook) 5 Word of mouth 6 Flyers 7 Bill inserts 8 Other (specify) 14. Have you ever been to the Lake County Website to get information about handling waste and recycling? 1 Yes 14a. Was it helpful? 1 Yes Don t remember 14b. Why not? 1 Did not know there was information on the county website 2 Did not need to get information or already have information 3 Do not use internet 3 Other (specify) Lake County Residential Recycling Survey 2017 Page 5 of 6
15. Are you interested in receiving information about how and what to recycle in Lake County? 1 Yes DEMOGRAPHICS The following questions will be used to ensure that we sampled from a variety of people in the county. As with all your responses, these will be kept private. 16. Are you a...? 1 Permanent, year-round resident 2 Part-time cabin owner 3 Other (specify) 17. What city, town, or area are you located in? 1 City of Beaver Bay 2 City of Silver Bay 3 City of Two Harbors 4 Beaver Bay Township 5 Crystal Bay Township 6 Fall Lake Township 7 Silver Creek Township 8 Stony River Township 9 UT #1 10 UT #2 11 Knife River 12 Little Marais 13 Other (specify) 18. What type of home do you live in? 1 Single, detached home 2 Mobile home 3 Multi-unit housing 4 Other (specify) Please write any additional comments you have in the space below Thank you for completing the survey! If you have further thoughts or ideas feel free to email me at Kendra.klenz@co.lake.mn.us Lake County Residential Recycling Survey 2017 Page 6 of 6