MRPC News

Sept. 9, 2005

MRPC, ORSWMD TO HOST HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS
WASTE COLLECTION SEPT. 24 IN OWENSVILLE

Do you have used oil, old pesticides and unwanted paint sitting in your basement? Wondering what to do with it? There's finally an answer.

Meramec Regional Planning Commission, in partnership with the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District, will offer a household hazardous waste collection from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24. The collection will be held at the Owensville City Hall, 107 W. Sears in Owensville.

"This will be a free, one-time collection of household hazardous waste, so now is the time to start saving all those jugs of antifreeze and old weed killer," explained Tammy Snodgrass, MRPC's environmental programs manager.
This will be the fifth HHW collection that MRPC and the solid waste district have been involved with. In the past, collections have been held in Richland, Steelville and Rolla. Prior to that, MRPC and the district hosted numerous paint collections around the region that brought in over 4,100 gallons of unwanted paint.

The collection is open to any household in the district, which includes Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. The solid waste district is tasked with reducing by 40 percent the amount of waste generated for disposal. Using its tipping fee dollars, the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste District provided a grant to MRPC to host the collection
Acceptable items that can be disposed of at the Sept. 24 collection include: solvents, antifreeze, oil-based paint, pesticides, herbicides, adhesives and sealants, aerosols, pool chemicals, heavy metals such as mercury and lead, flammables, batteries, cleaners, poisons, metal polish, photo chemicals, dry cleaning fluids, rust preventatives, wood strippers, paint thinners, engine and radiator flushes, old chemistry sets, brake fluid, creosote, moth balls, art and craft supplies, wood preservatives, transmission fluid, muriatic acid, batteries, flammables and used motor oil.

Unacceptable items are: tires, unknown wastes, propane tanks, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, explosives, gun powder, ammunition, biohazards or compressed gasses. No business waste will be accepted.

"At every paint collection in the past, someone would bring in a gallon of tile adhesive or a jug of pesticide, and we were not able to take it," explained Snodgrass. "We are excited that we are able to host a collection that will accept a multitude of household hazardous waste, and the solid waste district grant made that possible, " Snodgrass concluded.
Ozark Rivers has contracted with Pollution Control Industries, East Chicago, Indiana, to handle the collection and proper disposal of the waste.

The solid waste management district will also have educational information available at the collection that will help residents deal with household hazardous waste between collections.

Area residents unable to participate in the household hazardous waste collection but needing information on proper disposal of household hazardous waste can contact Snodgrass or Nongluk (Lucky) Tunyavanich at (573) 265-2993 or by email at tsnodgrass@meramecregion.org. "In some cases, there are practical disposal options, but it depends on the product," Snodgrass said. "For example, if you let paint dry in the can, it can then go to the landfill, and you can speed the drying process by adding kitty litter," she noted.

Persons needing more information on the household hazardous waste collection can contact Snodgrass at MRPC at (573) 265-2993.