Rapid City Solid Waste Division

09/23/2026

It’s officially WORKING 🚦🚦
Around 9am, officials from the City’s Traffic Department came out, turned on the signal and ensured that everything was working correctly.
We are SO excited! 👏
Please use caution as drivers get used to having a signal at this intersection!

09/22/2026

📢 Starting Wednesday, the new traffic signal at the entrance to the Rapid City Landfill at the intersection of Highway 79 and Old Folsom Road will be activated! 🥳🥳
Earlier Monday, the signal was placed in flash mode to give the public notice of the signal’s change in operation.
Message boards have also been placed on Highway 79 near the landfill entrance to notify the public of the traffic signal!
Drivers are advised to use additional caution as the public gets used to the new signal operation.
Contact 605-355-3496 with questions!

09/18/2026

Yikes!
This is what we woke up to this morning at one of our remote sites 🙈😔
If the containers are full, please either hold onto your material or take it to a different site. This happened overnight last night.
Our drivers work hard ALL day to keep these containers emptied for everyone! If their time is spent cleaning up large messes like this one, that takes time out of their day from emptying the containers.

09/16/2026

Looking for a career?! Come work with us at the MRF! Our MRF is responsible for recovering all of the recycled material that comes into our facility, supports our landfill by grinding down material, and many other really important jobs.
Oh! & did we mention that we will pay for you to get your CDL? 👀
Apply at rcgov.org under Jobs!
Look for the MRF operator position at the landfill.
http://cityofrapidcitysd.tylerportico.com/tess/citizen/jobs/job-list/2026193%7C1

09/09/2026

🚨 Let's talk about lithium batteries! 🚨
Our friends in Belle Fourche are currently dealing with a landfill fire that was started by a lithium battery. ☹️
These batteries are SO dangerous 😫 For us AND for you!
Please please please don't throw away lithium batteries!! These batteries can overheat easily and it is highly likely that it will get punctured or smashed during the burial process. If these batteries get punctured, they can catch fire or explode.
We want to keep YOU and our employees safe! We don’t want one of these to get punctured/overheat
a) Inside of your garbage can that's next to your garage or house!
b) Inside of a garbage truck
c) Inside of the pit where we have employees driving heavy machinery around
d) Inside of the building that we sort recycled material in
Lithium batteries are found in electronics like cell phones, laptops, tablets, different va**ng devices, e-cigarettes, etc. There will be a warning label on the battery if it’s lithium and cannot be thrown away.
Places that you can take lithium batteries or alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, etc) - please call to see if there is a charge!
✨ Interstate Battery recycles ALL batteries (takes all sizes of lithium batteries - including laptop & motorcycle/kid jeep lithium batteries)
✨ Batteries and Bulbs Plus - They recycle ALL lithium batteries (takes all sizes of lithium batteries - including laptop & motorcycle/kid jeep lithium batteries)
.
We really appreciate if household (alkaline - AA, AAA, etc) batteries are recycled as well, but they aren’t as dangerous as the others.
PLEASE message us or give us a call if you have any questions on how to dispose of something or if you just aren't sure if you should throw it away in your can!

09/08/2026

🙈 SO scary!
A landfill fire is dangerous for a lot of reasons. There is flammable material throughout the landfill—even deep below the surface. That can make these fires extremely difficult to contain and extinguish.. ☹️
Please, please, PLEASE dispose of your batteries responsibly!
Batteries can be taken to Batteries Plus or Interstate Battery in Rapid City for recycling.
Start a jar or bucket at home and put your batteries in there instead of the garbage can! Lithium batteries can be found as watch batteries, remote batteries like your AA,AAA, cell phones, anything that is rechargeable - drill batteries, cameras, etc. They are EVERYWHERE.
Lithium batteries can and will start a fire:
👉 If they overheat in your garbage can at home
👉 If they get punctured in our garbage truck as it's packing the garbage
👉 If they get run over up in the landfill pit
These batteries can affect YOU at home too. Please recycle your batteries!

Public Notice
Conditions remain extremely dry. Lithium-ion batteries discarded in household trash or at the landfill can ignite when crushed or damaged. Please do not place lithium batteries, v**e devices, power-tool packs, laptops, or similar items in the garbage.
Dispose of them properly:
• Tape the terminals with electrical tape and place each battery in a separate plastic bag.
• Do not put lithium-ion batteries in curbside trash or recycling.
• Take them to a battery recycler, participating retailer, or household hazardous waste collection site.
• For local guidance, contact the City Landfill at 605-892-3530.
The City landfill is burning again. Please avoid the area while fire crews work to extinguish the fire. Thank you for your cooperation.

09/08/2026

We were closed for the holiday yesterday!
That means that we are heading to Monday routes first this morning!
Once Mondays are all collected - we will advance to Tuesday routes.
SOME of you Tuesday routes will get picked up today, and they will finish the rest tomorrow (on Wednesday).
So please have your cans out by 7am and ready just in case they come by!
Otherwise, leave your cans out until collected. :)

09/06/2026

✨ Reminder! ✨
We are closed TOMORROW to observe Labor Day!
The landfill will be closed and collections won't be running.
Monday routes will be collected on Tuesday instead.
Tuesday through Friday routes will be collected as normal!
BUT please leave your cans out until they get collected.
To stay informed about holiday changes, you can sign up for texting or email reminders!
To sign up for text messages, text rcsolidwaste to 888-777
To sign up for email reminders, head to our website and fill out the form on our home page.
www.rapidcityrecycles.org

09/05/2026

✨ Reminder! ✨
The landfill will be open NORMAL hours on Saturday, September 5th (7am-4pm).
We are closed on Monday, September 7th to observe Labor Day!
The landfill will be closed and collections won't be running.
Monday routes will be collected on Tuesday instead.
Tuesday through Friday routes will be collected as normal!
BUT please leave your cans out until they get collected.
To stay informed about holiday changes, you can sign up for texting or email reminders!
To sign up for text messages, text rcsolidwaste to 888-777
To sign up for email reminders, head to our website and fill out the form on our home page.
www.rapidcityrecycles.org