Drop off household hazardous waste in Oak Ridge on Saturday

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s mobile household hazardous waste collection service will be in Anderson, Carter, Obion, and Giles counties on Saturday, May 16. The drop-off point in Oak Ridge is the Oak Ridge Public Works Department on Woodbury Lane.

“Our household hazardous waste mobile collection service provides the people of Tennessee with a safe, environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted household chemicals and other potentially hazardous wastes at no cost,” said Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau. “This service travels across the state holding collection events in local communities, and we encourage all Tennesseans to take advantage of the opportunity to utilize it.”

On Saturday, May 16, any Tennessee resident may bring his or her household hazardous waste to the following locations. (Note that hours listed indicate the local time for events.)

• Anderson County—Oak Ridge Public Works Department at 100 Woodbury Lane in Oak Ridge from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The local contact for this HHW collection event is Geoff Trabalka at (865) 463-6845.
• Carter County—Carter County Recycling Center at 411 Cherokee Park Drive in Elizabethton from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. The local contact for this HHW collection event is Benny Lyons at (423) 543-6626.
• Obion County—Obion County Recycling Center at 1003B Mt. Zion Road in Union City from 8 a.m. until noon. The local contact for this HHW collection event is Travis Alexander at (731) 885-8109.
• Giles County—Giles County Highway Department at 400 Bennett Drive in Pulaski from 8 a.m. until noon. The local contact for this HHW collection event is Julie Phillips at (931) 363-2287.

Since the program’s inception in 1993, more than 322,000 households have properly disposed of more than 21 million pounds of material. HHW material is considered flammable, toxic, reactive, and/or corrosive, and should not be placed with regular garbage.

Typical items to dispose of include cleaning fluids, pesticides, mercury thermometers and thermostats, fluorescent lamps, lithium and button batteries, aerosols, adhesives, medications, brake fluid, swimming pool chemicals, and paint thinner. Items not accepted include ammunition, explosives, alkaline batteries, paint, electronics, medical waste, and any empty containers.

While household waste may be disposed for free, there is a cost for disposal of Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator Waste (i.e. wastes from non-household sources such as businesses, schools, farms, churches, etc.). An appointment is also necessary. Call (615) 643-3170 to request a price quote and schedule an appointment.

Many counties and municipalities meet the needs of local residents by providing collection of batteries, oil, paint, antifreeze, and electronic scrap—or BOPAE as it is sometimes called. When handled correctly, these BOPAE materials are minimally hazardous, but inappropriate for collection at household hazardous waste events. Contact your local city or county solid waste department to find BOPAE collection sites in your area.

When transporting materials to the site, place containers in sturdy boxes lined with newspaper to prevent spills and cross-contamination in the trunk of a car or back of a truck. Be sure to keep materials away from children and pets. Materials should be kept in the original containers whenever possible. If not, place each waste in a separate plastic container with a secure lid and label its contents.

For more information on the household hazardous waste mobile collection service, please call (800) 287-9013 or visit http://www.tn.gov/environment/solid-waste/solid-waste_household-waste.shtml.