2013 Hazardous Waste Collection a success
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September’s Hazardous Waste Collection held by Dunn County Solid Waste amassed over 21,000 pounds of materials, keeping these harmful items out of the environment. Motivated by safety, contamination, general concern for environment, protection of wildlife and sometimes even family or peer pressure, the public rid their homes of mercury, paints, pesticides, aerosols, corrosives, flammable liquids and more.
Paint related materials were the most popular items brought in with 16,800 pounds collected over the two day event. Flammable liquids and pesticides were some of the other leading materials, followed by aerosols, cylinders and corrosives. Twelve pounds of mercury were collected including a coffee can containing liquid mercury. Multiple containers of DDT were another item of note.
The hazardous materials were processed by Northwest Regional Planning Commission and WRR Environmental Services. A team of volunteers from Dunn County’s Environmental Services Department assisted in managing the event.
The collection was made possible by a $19,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and allowed households, farms and businesses to partake in the collection. Attendance was up from last year’s event with 7 farms, 19 businesses, and 236 residents taking advantage of this annual event.
Utilizing Hazardous Waste Collections is strongly encouraged by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and DATCP. One participant said they attended because “It’s the right thing to do in such a wasteful throw away country.” “It’s so nice to have somewhere to bring things and know they will be disposed of properly,” another participant said.
Dunn County Solid Waste has applied for a 2014 Hazardous Waste Collection grant. If funding is granted, the next collection would most likely be September 2014. For more information call the Dunn County Solid Waste Division at 715-232-4017. The Dunn County Solid Waste Division is also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dunncounty
recycling.