February 09, 2021

(4/22 UPDATE) 1500 Volunteers/160 Teams To Collect Trash During Saturday's Citywide Clean-up Day

A group cleans up around the Little League fields in west Rapid City during Clean-Up Week 2019. A group cleans up around the Little League fields in west Rapid City during Clean-Up Week 2019. (City File Photo/Darrell Shoemaker)

CLEAN-UP WEEK IS HERE!

(4/22 Update)

1500 VOLUNTEERS/160 TEAMS TO COLLECT

TRASH DURING SATURDAY’S CITYWIDE CLEAN-UP DAY

Mayor Allender, businesses, residents combining

efforts to beautify city

RAPID CITY, SD—Between 150-160 teams comprised of more than 1500 volunteers will be fanning out across Rapid City later this week to clean up numerous public areas as part of the annual Community Clean-up Day.

            Clean-up Day is part of Rapid City’s Clean-up Week, April 19-24 which includes free disposal of most items at the Rapid City Landfill, along with other events.  The highlight of the week is the Community Clean-up Day where individuals and groups of volunteers walk along fence lines, parks, boulevard areas and fields; combing through brushes, ditches and ravines, picking up trash.  The purpose is to clean up the community and this year it takes on special meaning since last year’s clean-up week of activities were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

            “We’ve had an overwhelming response from individuals, businesses and organizations wanting to help out this year,” said Jancie Knight, outreach coordinator for the City’s Solid Waste Division.  “We have two year’s worth of trash awaiting collection.  The end result will be a more beautiful community.”

            Knight and Ria Harper of the Solid Waste Division began work on Clean-up Week in early February, recruiting volunteers and developing messages to promote the week’s activities.

            “In addition to the teams, we have tons of help from boy scouts, girls scouts, church groups and other small groups of families and friends coming together to clean up areas,” said Harper.

            Rapid City Landfill staff will be on hand to assist residents bringing materials to the facility on Saturday.  The Landfill’s hours are 7 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. There will be a fee for disposal of tires.  The landfill will accept all scrap metal except freon bearing appliances.  Three local businesses – A+ Recyclers, Pacific Steel & Recycling and Martin Salvage - are accepting such appliances through Saturday and waiting the fee for residents.  Building construction materials, furniture and recyclable material can be taken to the ReStore Outlet through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

            The Landfill will also be hosting ‘Trash To Treasures’ beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday.  The public is invited to bring and take gently-used items from the Landfill’s recycling transfer station.

            This is the 50th year for the City’s Clean-up Week activities.

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APRIL 19-24 EVENT FEATURES FREE DISPOSAL AT LANDFILL FOR MOST ITEMS;

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS AND GROUPS CLEANING UP AREAS;

TRASH TO TREASURES EVENT SATURDAY

The Rapid City Community Clean-Up Week is underway!  The week-long event goes through Saturday, April 24 and includes free disposal of most items at the Rapid City Landfill.  There is a fee for tires and no freon-bearing appliances are accepted.  Paints, oils and hazardous household items will be taken at an event this fall.  If you have questions about a particular item, call Solid Waste at 355-3496.  More than 150 volunteer groups will be fanning out over Rapid City this week and especially on Community Clean-Up Day, this Saturday, collecting trash items that have collected for two years.  Last year's Community Clean-Up was cancelled due to COVID.  See below for more information on Clean-Up Week activites, also where you can take items such as yard waste, etc.

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(APRIL 15)

LANDFILL TO HOST ‘TRASH TO TREASURES’ EVENT

AS PART OF CLEAN-UP DAY & WEEK ACTIVITIES

Official: ‘People can find some real treasures’

RAPID CITY, SD—In conjunction with the annual City Clean-up Week activities, the City’s Solid Waste Division is hosting ‘Trash To Treasures Day’.

The event will be held from 8 a.m. to  4 p.m., Saturday, April 24 and coincides with the community-wide Clean-up Day. The public is invited to drop off and pick up any items at the Landfill’s recycling transfer station.

“A major part of our recent community clean-up activities is the trash to treasures event,” said Jancie Knight, outreach coordinator for the City’s Solid Waste Division. “It’s a take on the famous saying as one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. People can find some real treasures.

“We invite anyone with some gently-used items to drop them off and it’s a great opportunity to also check out some really nice items to take.  It could be a bicycle in working condition, a furniture item, a painting, household odds and ends stuff that still works but you don’t use anymore that might be of use to someone else.  Or you can stop by and find some really nice treasures for your use.”

Contact the Solid Waste Division for restrictions or questions on acceptable materials at 355-3496. 

The City’s annual Clean-up Week is scheduled for Monday through next Saturday, April 19-24, and includes free disposal of most items at the City’s Landfill.

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(APRIL 5)

REMOTE YARD WASTE LOCATIONS

OPEN FOR SEASON

Solid Waste officials remind public to use

remote site containers for intended uses

RAPID CITY, SD—The City’s remote yard waste drop-off locations officially opened for the season this morning with containers placed at Fitzgerald Stadium and West Boulevard North.

            The locations now include yard waste containers along with the mixed recycling, cardboard and newspaper containers.  The yard waste containers will be available at both sites through November.

            Solid Waste officials remind the public to utilize the containers for their intended purposes: yard waste, recycling materials, cardboard and newspapers.  The remote collection sites are not drop-off locations for commercial haulers and are not dump sites for large items such as appliances, furniture and items that should be taken to the Rapid City Landfill.  Anyone with questions should contact the City’s Solid Waste Division at 355-3496.

            The public is also reminded to sign up for adjusted collection notices by visiting www.rapidcityrecycles.org and sign up for email reminders.  The public can also keep up with Solid Waste Division information on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SolidWasteRC .

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(FEBRUARY 23)

CITY SEELS VOLUNTEERS AND GROUPS

FOR COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP DAY APRIL 24

Clean-Up Week Resuming

After One-Year Absence Due to COVID

RAPID CITY, SD—After a one-year suspension due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, City Solid Waste officials are planning to reinstate the popular City-Wide Cleanup Week.

            This year’s community cleanup week is scheduled from April 19-24 and is marking its 50th year.  Its dual purpose is to encourage residents to bring items to the City Landfill free of charge and to promote cleanup of the community.

            “Last year’s community cleanup week was suspended due to COVID-19 and it was a great disappointment for the residents and volunteers, for our Landfill staff and the community in general,” said City Solid Waste Outreach Coordinator Jancie Knight.  “We are very excited to reinstate the event and we’re starting early to recruit volunteers to help clean up the city.”

            Clean-Up Week will again be highlighted by Community Clean-Up Day (Saturday, April 24) when hundreds of volunteers with plastic bags will be combing through parks, along ditches, drainage areas, fence lines and neighborhoods in the community picking up trash.

            There’s always a lot of trash to be picked up from Mother Nature’s long winter of discontent but Knight says this year’s Clean-Up week will take on added importance with last year’s suspension due to COVID-19.

            “In many areas, there are two years of trash that has built up,” said Knight. “Clean Up Week is an opportunity for citizens to clean up their community and for homeowners to spruce up around their yards and homes,.”

            The City is seeking volunteer groups and individuals to help clean up public spaces again this year.  The City will provide trash bags and interested groups are encouraged to email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to determine available spaces.

            The week-long Community Cleanup Week event is open to area residents only with free disposal of household trash and recyclables at the Landfill throughout Cleanup Week.  Private pickups, cars and small trailers are allowed but no commercial vehicles.  All loads must be secured.  The Landfill will not accept Freon-based appliances and there will be a fee for disposal of tires.  Items such as paints, garden chemicals, gasoline and other hazardous waste or liquids will not be accepted during Cleanup Week but will be accepted during Hazardous Waste Cleanup Day later this fall.  Solid Waste officials are finalizing details and a date for that event, which was also suspended last year due to COVID-19.

            “Additional details will follow in coming weeks about Clean-Up Week, but we want to get the word out to the public so groups and organizations can begin to assemble volunteers and homeowners can mark their calendars and begin to make plans,” Knight said.

            Knight said another popular feature of Clean-Up Week will return this year.  The Trash To Treasures Day will be held in conjunction with Community Clean-Up Day with the public encouraged to bring and pick up slightly-used items such as bicycles and other items and equipment to the Material Recovery Facility from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

            For more information about Clean-Up Week and Trash to Treasures Day, contact the Rapid City Solid Waste Division at 355-3496.

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