|
News Release
For release: March 23, 2005 Contacts: Collection Set in La Grande April 22 For Small Business and Agricultural Waste Businesses that generate small amounts of hazardous waste will have the opportunity to dispose of that waste safely and legally at a collection event in La Grande on Friday, April 22. Waste pesticides from farmers, ranchers and other agricultural operations will also be accepted. Pre-registered businesses and agencies can bring their waste to a local site. The collection is scheduled in conjunction with a household hazardous waste collection April 23 in La Grande. However, hazardous waste from businesses and commercial agricultural operations cannot be accepted at household collections. Businesses and other organizations (e.g., schools, government agencies, churches) that produce less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste per calendar month (Conditionally Exempt Hazardous Waste Generators (CEGs) under state and federal hazardous waste regulations) may have their waste collected for a charge. All participating businesses and organizations must transport their waste to the event at the pre-assigned time. Waste will not be collected at their place of business. Typical CEGs also include automotive repair shops, machine shops, painting contractors, printers and medical clinics. Common hazardous wastes generated by CEGs include paints and cleaning solvents, laboratory chemicals, fluorescent lamps, waste inks and mercury. Participants will be charged from $.85 cents to $3.10 per pound for solid materials depending on the type of waste; between $2.50 - $6 per gallon for liquid wastes such as antifreeze, paints and solvents. These costs are less than the typical fees charged by hazardous waste management firms for individual service. As part of a pilot project, mercury-containing waste products (except lamps containing mercury, i.e., fluorescent lamps) will be collected at no charge this year. This includes thermometers, vehicle light switches, elemental or free mercury, mercury amalgams used in dentistry, blood pressure cuffs, mercury-containing button cell batteries, mercurochrome, antiseptic solutions with thimerosal, manometers, mercury-containing pesticides and thermostats. Farmers, ranchers, growers and other businesses or agencies that generate waste pesticides can also participate, regardless of their generator categories. This is only for disposal of waste pesticides, including banned, outdated and unusable pesticides. Disposal of most types of waste pesticides is $1.45 per pound. Pesticides such as pentachlorophenol, 2,4-D, mercury-containing pesticides and compressed cylinders will be higher. Pre-registration with MSE Environmental, contractor for the event, is required. For scheduling purposes, completed applications must be faxed or mailed to MSE Environmental prior to the event. Once registered, MSE Environmental will contact all participants for time and location of disposal. Call MSE Services at 1-206-767-7990 for an application. Applications are also available on the DEQ Web site at http://www.deq.state.or.us/wmc/hw/documents/CEGapp.pdf . For more information about DEQ’s Hazardous Waste Program and the management of hazardous waste, please visit DEQ’s Web site at http://www.deq.state.or.us/wmc/hw/hw.htm. |
| |
|
|