By Kelli Lutuska
The City of Duluth has again placed road sand collection sites in various locations. As residents begin their spring clean-up, the collection sites serve as a place for the disposal of road sand, salt, and other by-products of winter maintenance. Picking up the sand and salt left in the boulevards, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters helps to keep our area streams clean and our water quality at a high level. In the past, Duluthians have averaged a whopping 15 tons annually of road sand dropped off at collection sites.
Large roll-off dumpsters labeled “Road Sand Collection Site” are placed in five disposal locations throughout the city. The five disposal locations, which are similar to locations used previously, are:
Wheeler Field
Piedmont Community Center
Duluth Heights Community Center
Chester Park
Portman Park
The disposal dumpsters will be available for use throughout the month of May.
Street sweepers collect road sand from the streets as quickly as possible in the spring, but any additional clean-up help is greatly appreciated and helps keep our streams clean, our eco-systems healthy, and our water safe. City of Duluth street sweepers collect an average of 6,000 tons of road sand from city streets annually.
Additionally, residents may choose to “Adopt a Storm Drain” near them, and report on their clean-up activities. Participants will receive instructions on how to adopt a drain near them, get to choose and name their storm drain, and receive a welcome packet with a small yard sign showing their participation. Residents can sign up to Adopt-a-Drain in Minnesota at https://mn.adopt-a-drain.org/
Please do not sweep or rake road sand or other materials into the street or ditches. These sites are also monitored for illegal dumping.