Pollution Prevention

Pollution Prevention means eliminating or reducing the amount and toxicity of potentially harmful substances at their sources, prior to generation, treatment, off-site recycling or disposal.

The goal of the Environmental Protection division and the Pollution Prevention Program is to preserve natural resources and enhance our environmental quality of life. Your St. Clair County Health Department strives to assist in the ultimate development of an environmentally sustainable community through efforts such as groundwater protection and monitoring of landfills/soild waste management facilities to ensure environmentally safe solid waste disposal. The St. Clair County Health Department has served as a delegate agency for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) since 1987.

USEPA Pollution Prevention Facts

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Educational Resources

Landfills

Prescription Medicines

Recycling Resources

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Pollution Prevention Educational Resources

The goal of the Environmental Protection division and the Pollution Prevention Program is to preserve natural resources and enhance our environmental quality of life.  Your St. Clair County Health Department strives to assist in the ultimate development of an environmentally sustainable community through efforts such as groundwater protection and monitoring of landfills/soild waste management facilities to ensure environmentally safe solid waste disposal.   The St. Clair County Health Department has served as a delegate agency for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) since 1987. 

Landfills & Open Dumping

The goal of the Landfill Monitoring/Open Dumping program is to protect the natural resources, assure the health of the residents of St. Clair County and provide environmentally safe solid waste disposal.   The St. Clair County Health Department has served as a delegate agency for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) since 1987.

The program helps protect St. Clair County residents from the transmission of disease organisms from improper or inadequate storage and disposal of garbage and other refuse.  Your Health Department does this by investigating complaints, enforcing county and state regulations regarding solid waste and routinely inspecting licensed landfills.   St. Clair County Health Department’s Environmental Decision Group meets routinely with representatives from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department to review inspections of certain solid waste sites and dumping investigations to discuss possible enforcement actions.

Contact your City Hall or Village Hall to find out if they offer trash service in your area.  Otherwise you may have to contract with a private hauler for weekly trash pick up.

Illinois landfills will not accept tires, white goods (water heaters, refrigerators etc.), household hazardous wastes or liquid paint.  If you are unsure if your item will be accepted please contact the landfill to inquire before dropping it off.

Milam Recycling & Disposal Facility
601 Madison Road, East St. Louis, IL 62201

Hours:
Mon.-Fri. 3 am- 5pm
Sat. 5 am- 12pm
(618) 271-6788

Cottonwood Hills Recycling & Disposal Facility
10400 Hillstown Road, Marissa, IL 62257

Hours:
Mon.-Fri. 5 am-4 pm
(618) 295-2809

To file a complaint, contact our office, Monday through Friday, 8:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. at (618) 233-7769 or email SCCHDenvironment@co.st-clair.il.us

Prescription Medications

Local residents can drop off their outdated or unwanted medications/drugs for no charge in a “Drop-Box” at:

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department
700 N 5th St, Belleville, IL 62220

The program is a product of teamwork between the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office, St. Clair County Health Department, City of Belleville, Illinois American Water and Southwestern Illinois College. Together these companies and agencies have worked to expand the efforts of the popular Pontiac Prescription Drug Disposal (P2D2) program into St. Clair County by implementing and funding a drug disposal site at the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office. The group hopes their work will help protect water resources and keep unwanted drugs out of children’s hands.

The disposal box, donated by Illinois American Water, will be located in the lobby of the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office. Unwanted medications and drugs, such as prescription pills and liquids, over-the counter medications, or illegal substances collected in the pharmaceutical/drug disposal box will be in continuous custody of law enforcement and then properly disposed by incineration. Items should be delivered in their original containers, if possible. Any liquid items placed in the box should be in sealed, leak-proof containers. Access to the drop-box is daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The St. Clair County pharmaceutical disposal program, available to all St. Clair County residents was adopted from a model developed by Pontiac High School Township students and their teacher Paul Ritter. The program, P2D2, has been recognized by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois EPA and the Department of Natural Resources as a model for all pharmaceutical disposal programs.

To learn more, please click here.

Recycling Resources

Three Basic Rules

Knowing these rules and putting them into practice will help you recycle more efficiently. And it will help to ensure everything that makes it into your bin finds a second life.

RULE 1

Recycle bottles, cans, paper and cardboard.

RULE 2

Keep food and liquid out of your recycling.

RULE 3

No loose plastic bags and no bagged recyclables.

 

Christmas Tree Recycling Resources in St. Clair County

Available until January 31st.

Download Christmas Tree Recycling Resources PDF