May 2025 - Papio NRD

Free Electronic Waste Recycling Collections Next Week

Been wondering what to do with those old TVs, radios, and other electronics that have completely overstayed their welcome? We’ve got you covered.

The Papio NRD’s annual free electronic waste (e-waste) recycling collections take place next week in Burt, Dakota, Thurston, and Washington counties.

Collection Dates and Times (at NRD/USDA Service Centers)

Tuesday, May 20

Tekamah (Burt County): 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. – 539 S. 13^th Street
Blair (Washington County) 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. – 1060 Wilbur Street

Thursday, May 22

Walthill (Thurston County) 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – 106 S. Costello Street
Dakota City (Dakota County) 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. – 1505 Broadway

E-waste will only be accepted during the scheduled times, rain or shine, from residents and most businesses located in the four counties.

Items Accepted

Items that will be accepted at the collections include computers, monitors, televisions (including big screen and console TVs), printers, office equipment, DVD/VHS players, audio equipment, radios and other small electronic devices. All data containing devices (computers, tablets, cell phones) are shredded or wiped in accordance with DOD standards by Midwest Electronic Recovery. If certificates of recycling and/or destruction are required, participants must call for instructions at least 24 hours before the collection.

Items Not Accepted

We will not accept large appliances such as microwaves, dehumidifiers, water heaters, freezers or refrigerators of any size. Waste will not be accepted from computer or electronics repair/retail businesses.

Proper recycling and disposal of e-waste protects the environment from mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and other toxic materials contained in electronic components. Recycling also conserves limited landfill space in our rural communities. The Papio NRD has collected over 538,000 pounds of e-waste through these collections.

The Papio NRD partners with the Nebraska Loess Hills RC&D Council to organize the collections. Funding is provided through the Litter Reduction and Recycling Incentive Grant Program and Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy.

For more information, please contact one of our Field Office representatives in your county:

Burt, Washington, Douglas & Sarpy counties: Deb Ward at 402-374-1920 ext. 3
Thurston County: Tamara Tipton at 402-846-5655
Dakota County: Mahkenna Koinzan at 402-494-4949

Cost Share Program Provides Educational Pathway Through School’s New Arboretum

Westview High School held a ribbon cutting ceremony in celebration of its new arboretum, a space for students to use as an outdoor classroom and the public to enjoy the greenery.

Westview applied for a Papio NRD cost share program that provided funding for a trail that guides students through the ecosystem of the arboretum, enabling hands-on science by exploring habitats and nature.

“Westview brought to life an incredible opportunity for its sustainability students to experience nature and understand first-hand its impact on the environment,” said Papio NRD Natural Resources Planner Eric Williams. “We are proud to be a part of the project.”

The Papio NRD’s Trails Assistance Program offers cost-sharing for trail projects to provide recreation, active transportation, and access to natural resources for public use. Like Westview, we encourage other public entities to take advantage of the program.

For more information on the Trails Assistance Program, please contact Eric Williams at ewilliams@papionrd.org or 402-315-1704.

Celebrate Trees Grant Enhances Fort Calhoun Park

Those who use Pioneer Park in Fort Calhoun now get to enjoy some extra greenery.

The City of Fort Calhoun held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the planting of 10 new trees in the park. The city applied for partial funding of the trees through the Papio NRD’s Celebrate Trees Grant Program.

The Celebrate Trees Grant Program encourages and assists communities with tree-planting projects for community benefit on public land such as parks, cemeteries, tribal lands, libraries, and rural villages within the District’s six-county service area (Sarpy, Douglas, Washington, Burt, Thurston, and Dakota).

“Your partnership during the early planning of this project helped us meet our goals in making this a great outdoor space for our community,” said parks commissioner and city council member Kris Richardson. “We’ve had such a good experience with the grant program that we decided to apply again.”

“Given the significant value trees add to our communities and the rising cost of planting them, this is an excellent program to utilize,” said Terry Schumacher, land and water programs coordinator for the Papio NRD. “We are glad the City of Fort Calhoun chose to apply for the grant and encourage other public entities to do the same.”

Applications can be submitted for the Celebrate Trees Grant Program November through February. For more information, please contact Papio NRD Field Representative John Zaugg at 402-426-4782.