Steinbach's Solid Waste supervisor is asking people to keep a few things in mind as they take advantage of the nice weather this weekend to get a start on spring cleaning. Eldon Wallman urges people to be mindful about keeping separate, any hazardous materials they are bringing to the landfill.

"You know old pesticides, fertilizer, old gas cans, maybe there's an ice cream pail of used oil from the lawn mower last year, all those kinds of things, it would be great to clean them up because they are a hazard at home. You want them there in case there's a fire, that's pretty nasty, it's a fire hazard. We'd like to have those things at the landfill. We'll gladly take them off your hands for you."

Wallman says the Household Hazardous Waste depot at the landfill has been growing in popularity since it was opened a few years ago.

"There still are a lot of people out there who don't realize that we have that we have that building here. But it's amazing, in a one month period, we still, in the middle of winter, probably take half a semi load of material to Miller Environmental for recycling. That's amazing that people are still bringing that much in here year round. It's a great thing to see."

Wallman also reminds people of the law that requires all loads being brought to the landfill to be properly secured with a tarp or tie-downs. He notes most folks are complying with the regulation as evidenced by the fact there is less garbage lying in ditches along roads to the landfill.

Meanwhile, Wallman says the opening of Menno Mart last year has resulted in a noticeable decline in building materials coming to the landfill.

"They actually work together with us. If we ever find things that people bring here, and maybe didn't realize there was an outlet like that, we hold it back here and save it for the guys at Menno Mart. It's a great avenue for that kind of material to go, to reduce, re-use and recycle again."

He notes summer hours will start at the landfill on Monday where they are open until 8:00 p.m. weekdays and until 6:00 p.m. Saturdays.