How Fargo residents should dispose of paint, batteries and clean concrete

Fargo's Solid Waste Department outlined where residents should bring paints, used oil, batteries and clean concrete and how the landfill screens unacceptable materials.

Household hazardous waste: staff said the household hazardous waste building accepts paints, household chemicals, used oil and oil filters, and batteries; usable items are placed in a reuse room that residents may access at no charge. "They can come in, grab what they want... It's free of charge," a staff member said, and staff stated there is no disposal charge for Cass County residents for standard household hazardous waste items.

Landfill screening and prohibited items: the department described a scale-house visual inspection to look for tires and appliances, followed by an on-site inspection after loads are dumped and spread; common problematic items are metal and concrete that contain debris or excessive dirt. For clean concrete, the city said three local concrete recyclers within about a quarter mile of the landfill will accept it at no charge if the concrete is clean of garbage and excessive soil.

Why this matters: Clear disposal options reduce contamination, protect processing equipment and keep recyclable concrete and reusable household materials out of landfill cells. Residents with questions were told to consult the city's recycling web map or call the department's recycling coordinator.

What was not included: Specific hours, addresses for the reuse room and the three concrete recyclers, and fee schedules (beyond the statement that Cass County residents are not charged for household hazardous waste) were not read on-air; listeners were directed to the city's website for that information.

Next steps: Staff encouraged residents to use drop sites for separated materials and to contact the department for clarification on acceptable items.