Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

GASCONADE COUNTY — In January, four Gasconade County Road crew employees and two Meramec Regional Planning Commission employees cleared 2,141 pounds of trash, recyclable scrap metal and tires from an illegal dump north of Owensville on Roethmeyer Road.  The group worked four hours on clearing the dump, hauling the 1,840 pounds of trash to the Cuba landfill and 301 pounds of appliances and scrap metal to a recycler. Additionally, 23 tires were recycled from the site as well. 

“Illegal dumps have impacts that reach further than the immediate dump site,” Kathryn Hawes, MRPC environmental specialist said. “The dump in Gasconade County was in a natural drainage area leading straight to a body of water. Without the clean-up, the trash could have ended up in the water and leached chemicals into the water or potentially someone’s well water.”

The Gasconade County cleanup was the first cleanup coordinated by MRPC in 2022. An additional two cleanups held by Ozark Rivers have been completed resulting in approximately 28.87 tons of trash and recyclable material being removed from the Mark Twain National Forest in Phelps and Dent Counties. Two other dumps were assisted by funds from Ozark Rivers, and gathered 7.69 tons of trash from illegal dump sites in Pulaski and Washington counties. Since January, the solid waste district has cleared 37.48 tons of trash from the seven county district. 

For those interested in participating or organizing a cleanup, contact Kathryn Hawes, MRPC environmental specialist, at 573-265-2993 or via email at khawes@meramecregion.org. 

MRPC provides administration of the district and assists with a variety of implementation projects.

For more information about ORSWMD or waste reduction and recycling opportunities in the Ozark Rivers area, contact Tammy Snodgrass, MRPC environmental programs manager, at 573-265-2993 or by email at tsnodgrass@meramecregion.org. Also, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ORSWMD and on the web at www.ozarkrivers.org. MRPC provides the day-to-day administration for Ozark Rivers. 

Ozark Rivers was established by state statute with the goal of reducing the amount of solid waste sent to our landfills by 40 percent. For over 30 years, ORSWMD has served Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski, and Washington counties and their respective cities with populations of 500 or more. For more information about ORSWMD or waste reduction and recycling opportunities in the Ozark Rivers area, contact Tammy Snodgrass, MRPC environmental programs manager, at 573-265-2993. Follow Ozark Rivers on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ORSWMD or on our website at ozarkrivers.org for future collection dates and waste management grants.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. Steve Vogt, representing the city of Belle, serves as chairman of the board. A professional staff of 36 offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.

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Cutline: MRPC employees Patrick Stites (not pictured and Kathryn Hawes (left) along with Gasconade County Road Crew David Slater, Dennis Godi, Roger Dahl and Paul Dahl cleared 1.07 tons of trash from a natural water runoff area on Roethmeyer Road in January of 2022. The crew was able to recycle 301 pounds of appliances and scrap metal as well as 23 tires and take 1,840 pounds of trash to the Cuba landfill.