Household Hazardous Waste Day brings spring cleaning to Warren County

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Warren County is partnering with the City of Bowling Green and several other agencies to offer this spring’s Household Hazardous Waste Day Collection event.

The cleanup event will take place Saturday, April 23 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Warren County Salt Barn located at 999 Lauren Avery Drive.

A certified hazardous waste disposal team and other waste management professionals will be on site to accept household hazardous wastes for recycling or proper disposal. In addition, area recyclers will collect waste oil, antifreeze, cooking oil, batteries and small propane tanks.

“Household hazardous wastes can include bug and weed killers, solvents and corrosives, as well as unknown hazardous items,” said Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon.

Other hazardous waste includes drain cleaners, oil paint, motor oil, antifreeze, fuel, poisons, rodenticides, florescent lamps and some cleaning chemicals.

Everyone in Warren County is encouraged to take the time to look through garages, outbuildings, tool boxes, basements and other hideaways to bring their hazardous materials out for proper disposal.

Most household hazardous wastes can be disposed of safely, but recycling the materials is a better option when available, according to the Warren County Public Works Department. Recycling keeps the material out of a landfill, which can extend the useful life of the landfill while helping to ensure those toxic materials won’t be buried with other solid wastes.

“All sorts of old, unwanted and even unknown hazardous wastes often can be disposed of safely in regular household garbage – the question we have to ask ourselves is “should we?” I think our answer has to be “no” as often as it can be,” said Warren County Environmental Coordinator Stan Reagan. “If not disposed of properly, household hazardous wastes can poison people or animals, especially if a water supply is affected. Some of these wastes could react with other substances and have potential to contaminate the environment, including the groundwater or surface waters that become our drinking water.”

Reagan said one of the most common wastes dropped off is paint, but it can be safely disposed of by mixing it with cat litter and placing it in double bags in a box for weekly trash pickup.

Materials that will not be accepted include anything containing asbestos, radioactive materials, demolition debris, normal trash or smoke detectors.