Copyright © 2004 NLThomas
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News from Cherokee Nation
Copyright © 2004 CNO
Most families have them ... a half-empty can of bug spray, some old oil-based paint, a jug of used motor oil, or a can of unused cleaning solvent. Other families have a stack of old car or truck tires collecting rainwater behind the shed. On Saturday, May 1, all Delaware County residents will have a free opportunity to dispose of these potentially dangerous household chemicals and unwanted waste tires in an environmentally-friendly way.The Cherokee Nation, through a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has designed a regional demonstration program to promote and foster the use of safe and environmentally-sound disposal practices for household chemical pollutants. The Delaware County Solid Waste Trust Authority is the supporting sponsor of the event.
For convenience, materials will be accepted at four locations. The primary site will accept both chemical pollutants and tires at the Main Solid Waste Transfer Station, 1 mile south of Grove off Hwy 59 / 10, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chemical pollutants only will be collected at three other sites throughout the county. The first will be the South Solid Waste Convenience Center, 1.5 miles north of Hwy 116 / 59 junction, ONLY between 8 and 10 a.m. The second will be the NW Convenience Center, on East 250 Rd., "Cutoff Rd", ONLY between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The third site will be the NE Convenience Center, adjacent to Grove Airport, ONLY between 2 and 4 p.m.
On the collection day, all private residents of Delaware County can bring in passenger car, pickup, motorcycle, ATV, and large truck tires - up to 25 tires per household- to the Main Transfer Station site. No tires from mowers, golf carts, or tractors, or tires on metal rims can be included. State law prohibits persons with tire shops or commercial dealers from disposing of their tires at these events.
A wide variety of chemical pollutants from the typical household will be accepted at all four sites. Examples include automotive products like motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline, car wax, lead-acid batteries, brake and transmission fluids. Also collected will be bottles of furniture polish, drain cleaner, oven cleaner, and spot remover. Other acceptable wastes include home and garden products such as insecticides, weed killers, rat poison, pet sprays, wood preservatives, petroleum solvents, and pool chemicals. Fluorescent bulbs, smoke alarms, hobby chemicals, mercury, and adhesives will also be accepted.
Trained personnel will unload materials from the trunk of each car, sort it, and prepare it for transport to processing facilities. Much of the collected material and all the tires will be reused or recycled. The remainder will be disposed of at an approved hazardous waste facility.
A few special types of waste will have to be excluded from the event for safety reasons. Pressurized gas cylinders, radioactive materials, medical wastes, pharmaceuticals, ammunition and other explosives, containers of unknown substances, and any wastes from business, commercial, or agricultural activities cannot be accepted.
Ken Purdy, Program Director of the Solid Waste Institute of Northeast Oklahoma and coordinator for the upcoming collection project, said that increasingly, communities are creating opportunities for residents to participate in these more environmentally responsible alternatives for the disposal of special wastes. "Collection programs like this started in the larger cities several years ago and have been adopted more and more by smaller communities as we've come to better understand the benefits of the service and how to manage the costs" said Purdy.
Purdy stated that old, unused paint will be one of the main products discarded by participants at the upcoming event. He indicated, however, that not all unwanted paint should be brought to the event. "This is a great way to dispose of oil-based paint, along with paint thinners, strippers, solvents, caulk, adhesives, and specialty paints. However, we're encouraging homeowners to dispose of latex paint at home when possible" Purdy said. Latex paint is not considered a hazardous material. Partial cans of paint should be solidified and discarded in the regular trash. "Just open the can of latex paint and let it dry or pour small amounts over layers of shredded newspaper until it's used up. Then bag it and set it out with your regular trash collection. This really helps us manage the costs by using the funds for those items that are hazardous and possibly dangerous when left in the home" said Purdy.
The event will also feature a special designated area called the "swap shop" or materials reuse area. In the swap shop, unused paint and other items received at the site in a usable condition will be set aside for reuse. They'll be available at no charge to area residents.
Larry Burrow, General Manager of the Delaware County Solid Waste Authority, noted that another valuable feature of this waste collection is that up to three unwanted computers or TV sets may also be accepted from each participating vehicle. These electronic wastes are considered "pollutants" because each computer monitor or TV tube contains between three and eight pounds of lead along with other metals located in their circuitry. These metals, if disposed in landfills, pose a risk to groundwater. All electronic wastes received at the collection event will be deconstructed and the materials recycled.
For more information about the upcoming Household Pollutant and Waste Tire Collection, contact the Project Coordinator, Solid Waste Institute of Northeast Oklahoma, phone toll-free 888-452-0116, or the Delaware County Solid Waste Authority, phone: 786-1036.
| Related contact information: |
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Mike Miller, Cherokee Nation Director of Communications Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2210) Fax: 918-458-5580 E-mail: Communications@cherokee.org
Larry Daugherty, Advertising Manager |
Steven Swogger, Agriculture Liaison Natural Resources Department Phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2546) FAX: 918-458-7673 E-mail: sswogger@cherokee.org
Bradley D. Peak, Cherokee Nation |