News Releases - 2003

Household Hazardous Waste Collections Announced for Fall 2003

Springfield, Ill. -- The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will sponsor 19 household hazardous waste collections throughout the state this fall, between September 6 and November 8, Director Renee Cipriano announced today.

"Household hazardous waste reduction is an important component of our overall efforts to make our environment safer,"said Cipriano. "The Illinois EPA works with local communities to give citizens the opportunity to rid their homes of unused or leftover household products that are potentially harmful. This also ensures that these chemicals do not end up in a landfill."

Since 1989, the Illinois EPA has conducted 304 Household Hazardous Waste Collections serving more than 268,419 Illinois households and eliminating of more than 54,736 fifty-five gallon drums of toxic materials from homes.

Citizens may bring oil-based paints, thinners, chemical cleaners, antifreeze, motor oil, weed killers, insecticides and pesticides and similar household products. The public is encouraged to find alternative uses for latex paint since it is not considered hazardous. Residents are also encouraged to bring mercury and mercury containing products such as fever thermometers, old thermostats and elemental mercury from hobbyists. Fluorescent and other high-intensity discharge lamps may also be brought to the collections.

Items not accepted include explosives, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, agricultural chemicals and all business wastes. Propane tanks and lead acid auto -more- batteries cannot be accepted at most of the events, but can be taken to local recyclers. An Illinois EPA contractor manages the wastes in an environmentally friendly manner, through recycling or other appropriate methods.

The events are free to the public and are paid for by a portion of the statewide fees on landfilled solid waste.

Fall 2003 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Schedule

One-day collections are open from 8:00 a.m. To 3:00 p.m., on scheduled Saturdays

In addition, the following long-term facilities are available for disposal of Household Hazardous Waste.

Please phone ahead to determine availability and open hours.

In Lake County: The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) currently operates a long-term household chemical waste collection program. Information and a collection schedule can be found on the SWALCO web site: http://www.co.lake.il.us/swalco/, or by calling (847) 336-9340.

The Household Hazardous Waste Collection schedule can also be found on the Agency's web page: www.epa.state.il.us. For questions concerning the Illinois EPA's one day, or long-term, collections, please call the waste reduction unit of the Illinois EPA's at (217) 785-8604.