APRIL 28th EVENT AT NORTH PARK KICKS OFF
2007 HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTIONS
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an average home can easily accumulate 100 pounds of “household hazardous waste.” These common household products include cleaners, paints, stains and varnishes, car batteries, automotive fluids, pesticides, pool chemicals and other products containing potentially hazardous ingredients.
Southwestern Pennsylvania residents will have an opportunity to safely and cost effectively dispose of hazardous products commonly found in their homes at a series of upcoming collections sponsored by the Southwestern PA Household Hazardous Waste Task Force. The Allegheny County collection event is sponsored in cooperation with the North Hills Council of Governments.
The first event will take place on Saturday, April 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the North Park Swimming Pool parking lot.
Additional collections will take place throughout the summer in surrounding counties. Visit www.swpahhw.org for a complete schedule of 2007 events.
“This year the Task Force is celebrating a very important milestone: to date, we’ve collected and disposed of more than one million pounds of household hazardous waste,” according to Dave Mazza of the Pennsylvania Resources Council, which serves as the Task Force’s administrator. “While a significant number, this just begins to scratch the surface of the problem of safe disposal of these materials.
“Since the first collection took place in 2003, the group has collected 1,004,657 pounds of materials from more than 11,000 households,” said Mazza. “The Task Force has partnered with numerous groups and organizations to provide the public with an opportunity to dispose of hazardous materials in a safe, cost effective and environmentally friendly manner.”
Individuals dropping off waste materials in Allegheny County will pay a fee of $2 per gallon.
Payment will be cash only (no checks or credit cards accepted).
“Homeowners typically find potentially hazardous products in five areas of their homes: the kitchen, bathroom, garage, workshop and garden,” said Mazza. “While products classified as household hazardous waste are safe to use if you follow all label directions, problems can arise when you use or dispose of them improperly. In addition, information is coming to light regarding the negative health impacts long-term exposure to some common household chemicals can cause.”
The North Park collection will accept the following materials: aerosol cans; automotive fluids (motor oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze, kerosene, brake fluid); batteries (household, automotive); chemistry sets; cleaners (ammonia, drain openers, acid cleaners, oven cleaners); mercury thermometers; paint products (latex, oil based, alkyd based, arts/crafts chemicals, rust preservatives, creosote, water sealers, paint thinners, furniture strippers); pesticides and garden chemicals (rodent killers, insecticides, weed killers, mothballs, fertilizer); photo chemicals; and pool chemicals.
The collection will not accept the following materials: ammunition and explosives; commercial waste; compressed gas cylinders (including propane tanks); fluorescent tubes; medical waste (including needles);
PCBs or dioxins; radioactive waste; smoke detectors; and tires.
Following each household hazardous waste collection, a certified contractor will process the hazardous waste. Materials may be recycled, incinerated or safely buried in special landfills.
The Southwestern PA Household Hazardous Waste Task Force, formed in 2002, secures funding, organizes events and creates a partnership of individuals representing governmental, private and public organizations. Numerous organizations support the household hazardous waste collection campaign by providing financial support of the events.
Task Force partners are: ALCOSAN, Allegheny County Health Department, Armstrong County, Bayer Corporation, Beaver County, Butler County, Cambria County, Carnegie Mellon University, Char-West Council of Governments, City of Pittsburgh, Environmental Quality Management, Inc., Environmental Resources Management, Inc., Green Tree Borough, Lawrence County, McKeesport Municipal Authority, North Hills Council of Governments, PA CleanWays of Allegheny County, PA Department of Agriculture, PA Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Resources Council, PPG Industries, Inc., Venango County and Westmoreland Cleanways.
For more information concerning the upcoming collections visit www.swpahhw.org or call the Pennsylvania Resources Council at 412-488-7452.
