Marion County Environmental Services

10/23/2026

To break down efficiently, the organic materials need oxygen from the air to decompose without producing methane. That is why compost piles need to be “turned” or mixed periodically.

Landfills are an ‘oxygen poor’ environment, leading decomposing organics to create larger amounts of methane. Composting gets rid of food waste more effectively than a landfill and also produces a rich soil supplement for your garden. It's a win-win!

10/21/2026

Free small appliance and computer repair at Spark Studio in Salem on November 21 from 10am to 4pm.

This event will accept small appliances, computers, electronics, cell phones, bicycles, machine and hand mending, and sharpening (limit 2 items please).

You can sign up to help repair items, or to bring something for repair.

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/sY9zVNeeBrKrgEmF7

10/21/2026

Cover crops can help you weather hot years, increase yields, reduce the need for costly additional inputs, and suppress weeds all while improving water quality for EVERYONE.

DEADLINE APPROACHING!

Marion SWCD’s Cover Crop Assistance Grant is intended to assist landowners/operators with the costs of installing cover crops on their land.

This program provides funding to help offset seed, labor, and equipment costs associated with the planting of cover crops. Funding is awarded on a per-acre basis with a limit of $10,000 per entity per year.

Deadline to apply is October 31.

Apply here: http://MarionSWCD.net?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mcengineering&utm_content=ap_vtistotphc

10/18/2026

To-go cups are NOT recyclable! Bring your own cups when possible.

10/17/2026

Since the 2020 wildfires, the corridor has continued to recover and sites have begun to reopen.

Marion County and its partner agencies are developing a shared Recreation Management Plan for the 20-mile corridor, from Highway 22 near Lyons to the Opal Creek Wilderness.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU 📣

Share your recreation experiences, what you value about the corridor, concerns you have, and your ideas for the future of the North Fork. This survey should only take about 10 minutes, but it's impact could be felt for decades!

10/15/2026

10/14/2026

Halloween decorations are often made of cheap materials that aren't designed to last--in 2023, Americans spent $12 billion on candy, costumes, and decor.

For a more sustainable (and less expensive!) celebration, stick to natural decor, like pumpkins, hay bales, and cotton sheets, or items that are made to be stored and last for many seasons to come.

10/11/2026

The Household Hazardous Waste Facility will be closed in December and January. The last day for 2026 drop offs will be November 19.

HHW will reopen February 4, 2027.

10/11/2026

Bubble mailers aren't recyclable! Padded envelopes made with paper layers are a recyclable choice, though!

10/09/2026

It's Water Quality Professionals Appreciation Week!

In Marion County, we have three teams that each work hard every day to protect your health, your home, and our environment:

🚰Our wastewater/drinking water team ensures that all systems are functioning properly to avoid any overflows that could harm the environment or threaten public health and ensure that sewage isn’t backing up into your home or business. They also ensure drinking water in the systems that they manage is safe and healthy to consume.

🌧️Our stormwater operations team keeps stormwater flowing and clean in the urban areas of Marion County. The team cleans and maintains stormwater infrastructure which not only helps prevent flooding, but also reduces the amount of pollutants making their way to waterbodies through stormwater runoff.

💧Marion County’s water quality team dedicates their time to preventing pollution, educating the community on water quality issues, meeting state and federal water quality standards, and keeping our water in Marion County clean and cool for swimming, fishing, drinking, and habitat.

These small teams do a lot of work to help protect water quality in Marion County and we thank them for their dedication!