Midwest City to be honored by state for environmental cleanup work

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), in partnership with Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB), will recognize the City of Midwest City as an Oklahoma Clean Community during a special ceremony scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on July 10th, 2018.

The ceremony will be held at the Midwest City Council Chambers, 100 N. Midwest Blvd, Midwest City, Oklahoma 73110. Midwest City will be recognized as a Level I, Scissortailed Flycatcher, Oklahoma Clean Community. This is the highest recognition a community can receive under the Oklahoma Clean Community Program.

Midwest City promotes community environmental stewardship by involving volunteers, businesses, civic organizations, and civic leadership in various environmental projects, cleanups, and recycling events.

Midwest City participated in the Great American Cleanup in Oklahoma. City leadership, officials, employees, and volunteers collaborated to clean up 8,940 pounds of trash, 560 pounds of metal, and 85 tires. Midwest City was recognized for their efforts by KOB and received the greater than 30,000 population Municipal Program Excellence award.

Several programs help Midwest City achieve their “Go Clean, Go Green” goals. Midwest City sells rain barrels at a reduced cost to residents through a partnership with the Central Oklahoma Storm Water Alliance (COSWA). Midwest City offers curbside
recycling and a Household Hazardous Waste program. Midwest City offers a place for residents to bring old tires on Saturdays. These tires are recycled and utilized as alternative fuel sources, playground material, mulch, artificial turf, and rubber molded
products.

The Midwest City Storm Water Quality department provides outreach to customers by distributing public education about non-point source pollution. Residents who support these programs and employees that work hard to provide the services are instrumental in making Midwest City a cleaner and greener community. As a result of their efforts, Midwest City has reduced many risks to human health and the environment.

The City of Midwest City is now an Oklahoma Clean Community.
DEQ and KOB recognize entities that participate in at least one tire collection event annually, the Great American Cleanup and other environmental service projects. DEQ encourages entities to coordinate a community-wide cleanup of used tires. DEQ’s Tire
Recycling Indemnity Fund will pay to haul off old, unused, or abandoned tires. Tire piles can be an eyesore and attract unwelcome pests, such as mosquitoes and rodents. After
cleanup is complete and all criteria for other service projects are met, a community can be recognized as an Oklahoma Clean Community.