June 2000
Special Waste Collection & Education Center
We use many potentially toxic products in our homes: paints, stains, cleaners, pesticides, motor oil, antifreeze, batteries, and many others. Once someone no longer has a need for a product it becomes a waste. Approximately 15,000 households in Marshall County generate more than 500,000 lbs. of waste each year which can be considered hazardous. This does not include the unknown quantity of hazardous household wastes (HHW) that are improperly disposed of.
Hazardous wastes generated in the home are exempt from many environmental regulations, however, these wastes still pose a threat to human health and the environment. HHW should never be dumped; on the ground, in storm drains, or into municipal sewer systems. Nor should it be burned or mixed with common household trash. Unfortunately, this lack of a safe and easy disposal option often leads people to improperly discard HHW. Complicating matters further, people (particularly children) and pets have a greater risk of exposure to these toxins when they are kept in the home for extended periods of time.
Since 1995, the Marshall County Solid Waste Management District (MCSWMD) has sponsored annual collection events for special wastes such as HHW, as well as tires and appliances. The collection events have been well received, however, they are costly to operate and they often don't meet the needs for many residents as they only occur once per year.
In order to address the problem, the MCSWMD is in the conceptual design stages to provide an outlet for residents to properly dispose of and recycle these problem wastes on a permanent basis. Establishing a permanent facility offers several advantages. First, larger volumes of HHW are cheaper to dispose per-unit. Additionally, the storage space allows these wastes to be consolidated, recycled and exchanged - all of which reduce disposal costs. Most importantly, the facility will provide residents with a more convenient and accommodating program, which lessens the potential for illegal dumping by residents who are unable or unwilling to wait for the one-day collection events.
Initial plans for the Special Waste Collection and Education Center (name subject to change) include providing office space for the MCSWMD, a conference/education room, a HHW collection and exchange area, and a collection area for tires and appliances. Plans also include utilizing many recycled materials in the construction project. The MCSWMD will continue its educational efforts to promote minimizing hazardous waste at its source, suggesting safer non-toxic alternatives, and reusing or recycling as much as possible. It is anticipated that a year or more may pass between development of the working concept to final construction of the facility.
By providing an outlet to properly manage this misunderstood element of the waste stream and reduce hazardous waste generation, the MCSWMD hopes to make Marshall County a cleaner and safer place for its present and future residents and businesses. The next annual HHW, tire, appliance, and obsolete computer collection event is scheduled for Saturday, June 3rd at the Plymouth High School North Parking Lot from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
For more information, contact the MCSWMD at 935-8618. The web address is www.marshall.acn/comm/gov/marshall/solidwaste/.
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