Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Hazardous Waste Disposal - Paints, Chemicals, Etc.

Got a note from a reader in regard to a collection location for household hazardous materials and putting it out to readers for help.

I recall last year the County had a day when you could take paint, oil, and other chemicals to a site for proper disposal, but haven't seen anything lately.

If anyone has any information on how to dispose of these products please email me (editor@newsovercoffee.com) or post a comment (you do need a gmail account which is available by signing up for blogger - follow the steps and you'll have an account in moments. You can remain anonymous as others have shown by simply not completing the profile).

Thanks!

2 comments:

Sebrink said...

I remember this was put on by the county last summer. However, I do not believe they have scheduled one for this year yet. I checked their online calendar and did not see it. Here is the link for last year's: http://www.northamptoncounty.org/northampton/ical/eventDetail_page.asp?date_ID=CDCFCFC9CE83CDCBC6&tx=0

Last year it was a disaster. Firstly, you were required to make an appointment, which is actually a good idea. I made mine for 12:15pm last year. Then I loaded all my waste into a bin and drove over to the site, which was in the old Laneco shopping center in Forks. This is where I was greeted by an unfathomably long line of cars and trucks that literally wrapped all the way around the back of the shopping center...I would estimate 40-50 cars. All of them at a dead idle, patiently waiting their turn to drop off waste. I got in line, waited about 25 minutes and only moved about 4 car lengths. The line behind me grew and grew. And countless cars made U-turns and left. At that point, having no air conditioning in my old truck and it being 90 degrees, I exited the line in disgust and went home. Then I wrote a strongly worded letter to the county that probably fell on deaf ears since I recieved no reply.

If the county is interested in encouraging proper waste disposal why do they make it so difficult and in convenient? No wonder so many people dump stuff in the sewer or bury it. I still have my waste from last year, plus some collected since then, and I have no idea what I am going to do with it.

My advice is to block off your entire day if you are truely gung-ho about participating in these disposal efforts...you're going to need it.

Sebrink said...

I got so involved in my rant that I forgot to provide this link. It is for the Pa DEP household hazardous waste program. It should answer most of your questions:
http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/landrecwaste/cwp/view.asp?A=1242&Q=464341