COVID-19 shutdowns meant Kewaunee County residents had some extra time to spruce things up this spring. The “Clean Sweep” household waste collection gathered up more than 7,100 pounds of agricultural chemicals, ammunition, prescription drugs, and other items. Residents made their way to the Highway Department station in Casco, loaded down with unwanted, and potentially unhealthy, materials last week for the event. It is put on annually by the Kewaunee County Emergency Management Department. Director Tracy Nollenberg says the state shutdown order played a role in the amount of disposed items.

Clean Sweep uses grant funds from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. It is separate from electronics recycling events, which happen in Door and Kewaunee Counties, on a regular basis.