EMS
Environmental Management Systems
In 2014 GRRWA elected to join the Environmental Management Systems (EMS) program created by the Iowa DNR. Through this program we focus on new and better ways for our landfill to function and the overall improvement of our planning area, while bettering the environment and reducing our footprint we leave behind.
On site we have what is called the EMS core team, which meets monthly to discuss and review current EMS objective and targets. Through these meetings we are able to monitor and continuously improve our operation and leave the environment better than we found it. GRRWA does encourage the community to be actively involved in our EMS program, whether that be submitting an idea to us or becoming involved by helping spread the word about any new policies that may come from the EMS program. GRRWA is also available to partner with local projects and government entities to help tackle EMS related projects. Together we can make the environment better for generations to come.
GRRWA focuses on 7 categories:
Organics Management
The 2023-24 Organics O/T focuses on pallet diversion. Both GRRWA locations receive large amounts of useable pallets from local industries. We have established storage locations at both sites and will collect pallets from July of 2023-june of 2024 in an attempt to keep all usable pallets out of the landfill. Any broken or abnormal sized pallets are still diverted and ground into wood chips These chips are then used in wet weather condition on the working face.
Household Hazardous Waste Management
The 2023-24 HHW O/T battery collection. In 2022 and early 2023 the landfill saw a large rise in improperly disposed of batteries causing problems on site. To mitigate this risk to operations we established collection locations at local businesses(Keokuk Farm and Home, and Kempker’s True Value). Customers can drop off batteries at these locations free of charge. The batteries are then collected by GRRWA staff and shipped to Call to Recycle for proper disposal.
Water Quality Improvement
The 2023-24 Water Quality O/T focuses on storm water control on site. GRRWA is working toward becoming a non discharge site by increasing the storage capacity of on site for storm water. In this process we are also installing more rock checks to increase the life span of our sediment pond.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction
The 2023-24 Continues to focus on the monitoring and measuring of our solar power project that started in 2019. All sites were operational as of July 01 2023. Measuring will continue thru June 2024 with a goal of 75% reduction in purchased electricity.
Recycling Services
The 2023-24 Recycling O/T focuses on Only Clean Cardboard. This objective relies on operational changes in both our recycling center and our transfer station. With termination of sorting operations in 2019 the cost of shipping and processing recycles began to become unsustainable. In July of 2023 we began collecting cardboard separately from other recycles. Effectively shifting operations from single stream to dual stream has allowed us to sell cardboard bails reducing the tonnage of single stream recycles shipped of site for processing.
Environmental Education
The 2023-24 Environmental education O/T consists of partnering with the Keokuk and Ft Madison City Counsels to increase area recycling and proper electronic waste disposal. This will be done at two events hosted by the respective cities and manned by Great River Employees. The Keokuk “Green Day” event taking place 26th of September and the Ft Madison “City Wide Clean Up” on the 19th of April. Our employees will be on site collecting electronics, HHW, and recycling. We will utilize these interactions as well as the advertising prior to the event to educate customer on services available at GRRWA.
Community and Employee Safety
2019 the EMS core team has set out to improve our air quality on site. We have purchased an air quality meter and will begin testing air quality in our buildings when it is received. Check back for updates as the year goes on.
2018
The EMS core team found a partner in Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center and hosted 2 blood drives at our Ft. Madison location. Both blood drives had a total of 10 donors, with a total of 4 first time donors at the first blood drive. We look forward to the relationship between both organizations in years to come and hope we can continue to help the blood bank fill their needs.
2017
The EMS core team created a company wide weight loss challenge to help encourage healthy eating and exercise. Through this effort the employee who won had lost a total of 12.24% body weight and stated that he did feel healthier after the contest was over.
2016
The EMS core team proved materials for a healthy lifestyle to employees. We put health and safety tips in our monthly newsletter to staff and encourage proper health and safety everyday. Health and safety is our number 1 priority at GRRWA and are committed to maintain a healthy and safe environment for people to work in.
2015
The EMS core team added a 7th element to our EMS program with community and employee safety. In 2015 we identified and reduced potential hazards on site. We installed new guards on machinery along with emergency stops in our recycling center. We also added new signage in the landfill to identify that only 2 trucks were allowed to dump at a time to help eliminate opportunities for accidents.