Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful and Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources Saturday will be hosting the second Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day of the year to collect household hazardous waste for recycling and proper disposal.
The organizations hosted the first biannual collection day of the year in February and were able to collect 50.76 tons of household hazardous waste within 4 hours. The organizations predict to see even higher numbers of participants at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
“As is the case with most of our events, volunteers are vital to the success of our July Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day,” Schelly Marlatt, Executive Director for Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, said. “We’re expecting well over a thousand cars to move through the Fairgrounds lot during a three-hour period, so we need the help of volunteers to direct traffic, keep cars moving from one station to the next, haul items from attendees’ vehicles, break down boxes, and get their neighbors back on the road to enjoy the rest of what we hope will be a beautiful summer day. Not only will we be helping Gwinnett County residents rid their homes of Household Hazardous Waste – like pesticides, weed killers, and expired fire extinguishers – but we’ll also be diverting those items from our local landfills, where they could potentially seep into our groundwater and flow downstream. When you consider that, our volunteers are heroes… they’re saving the planet, one household at a time!”
Participants at the event are permitted to bring up to five containers of household waste. Containers must be the size of a copy paper box or laundry basket, and – since they cannot be returned once removed from the car – disposable containers are recommended. Acceptable items for collection include:
- Aerosol/spray pesticides
- Automotive products (engine degreaser, brake fluid, transmission fluid, antifreeze, etc.)
- Cleaners, corrosives, spot removers, acids, and bases
- Aerosol/spray paint
- Auto batteries
- Batteries (household and rechargeable)
- Chlorinated solvents
- Cooking oil and grease
- Fire extinguishers
- Flammables (lighter fluid and waste fuels (kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel, etc.)
- Fluorescent bulbs and ballasts
- Insecticides
- Latex and water-based paints
- Lawn care products
- Mercury
- Mercury salts and elemental mercury thermometers
- Oil-based paint and stains
- Oxidizers
- Pesticides
- Poisons
- Propane cylinders
- Solvents and varnishes
- Thermostats and other mercury-containing items
- Thinners and paint strippers
- Weed killer
- Wood preservatives
Items such as tires, electronics, and paper for shredding will not be accepted during the collection process. However, the organizations encouraged those looking to dispose of these items to visit the Gwinnett County Recycling Page to find locations that accept them. Other items that will not be taken include ammunition, radioactive waste, pharmaceuticals, and biomedical/biohazard waste.
Gwinnett County Fairgrounds is located at 2405 Sugarloaf Pkwy in Lawrenceville. A second event will take place at the Fairgrounds that same day beginning at 11 a.m., so traffic volumes may be greater than usual.
