Environmental Progress - Spring 1997

Household Hazardous-Waste Collections May Be Coming to an Area Near You

Collections allow disposal of hazardous materials from the garage, workbench and sink.

The Illinois EPA's spring 1997 household hazardous-waste collections will continue through early June.

Collections are scheduled on Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., for greatest convenience to working families. Citizens are asked to bring harsh chemical cleaners, paints, thinners, antifreeze, weed killers, insecticides and pesticides, and similar household hazardous products.

Liquid motor oil and lead-acid batteries are banned from Illinois landfills. While the Agency collections will accept used motor oil and lead-acid batteries, used motor oil can be re-refined and lead and acid from batteries can be recovered for future use, so participants are urged when possible to take these materials to local recyclers, to reduce the volume of wastes at collection sites.

Explosives, propane tanks, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, agricultural chemicals and business wastes will not be accepted.

Household hazardous-waste collections, funded by statewide fees on landfilled nonhazardous solid wastes, are free to the public. The Agency conducts 12 to 15 collections each spring and fall. An Agency contractor assures that all wastes area properly containerized, manifested and safely transported to their ultimate destination.

More than 31,000 drums of dangerous materials have been collected so far.

"These popular events allow citizens to rid their homes of unused or leftover household products, which improperly disposed of, could seriously harm human health or the environment," said Illinois EPA Director Mary A. Gade.

"The first of these collections began in November 1989. Through the end of 1996, the Agency has orchestrated 163 successful collections, filling 31,106 drums with hazardous wastes from more than 165,000 households," Gade said.

Following are dates, cities, collection points, and cosponsors for the remaining springtime collections: