What You Need to Know About Household Hazardous Waste
All of us have household products that need to be disposed of in a safe and cost effective way. The Stearns County Household Hazardous Waste facility is located on the west end of Waite Park. Stearns County Hazardous Waste Senior Environmental Specialist Michael Rogers joined me on WJON. He says they collect household items you'd call a chemical like paint, batteries and cleaning products. Rogers says paint, by far, is the most common item they collect.
Their website indicates:
The Stearns County Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) program began with mobile collections in 1996. Since that time the program has expanded tremendously. A dedicated facility to accept HHW 6 days a week was built in 2012, the mobile collection schedule continues to expand, and we have the ability to accept limited business waste.
The program processes up to 500,000 pounds of regulated waste, and 100,000 fluorescent bulbs each year, collected from as many as 10,000 households. The facility is open M-F, and some Saturdays, to private households for drop offs, without appointment or fee. Currently serving Stearns, Benton, Sherburne, and Mille Lacs County residents. Businesses can call about appointments.
Rogers says they work with both Stearns County residents and small businesses. He says there is no cost for Stearns County residents to drop off products. Once the items are collected they separate them based on the hazards they represent and what they will and won't be compatible with. The items are sent to special disposal facilities to either neutralize them or incinerate them.
Learn more about Stearns County Household Hazardous Waste here. Listen to my conversation with Mike Rogers below.
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