(WWJ) Got hazardous waste?
Macomb County is setting up a special day to collect any chemicals, cleaners and other potentially dangerous products residents may have lying around the house.
The Health Department is holding a household hazardous waste collection event this Friday, July 23, from 7:30 a.m. 12 p.m. at a site off Dunham Road between N. Rose and Elizabeth on the Macomb County Center Campus in Mount Clemens. (View a map of the location).
Household hazardous waste items that will be collected include the following:
Automotive Products
• used motor oil and filters
• brake fluid
• battery acid
• transmission fluid
• gasoline
• antifreeze
• cleaners, waxes, polishes
Lawn/Garden Products
• pesticides
• weed killers
• fertilizers
• poisons
Household Products
• oven cleaner
• oil based paint
• drain cleaner
• muriatic acid
• rat/ant poison
• pool chemicals
• degreasers
• photography chemicals
• lighter fluid / torch fuel
• unused aerosols
• nail polish & remover
• products containing mercury
• solvents
• fluorescent tubes
• non-narcotic medications
Materials that are not eligible for collection include electronic devices, latex paint, batteries, smoke detectors, syringes, and cooking oil.
For more information on materials that will, and will not be accepted, VISIT THIS LINK.
“Events like this are important for county residents on a number of levels,” said Andrew Cox, Director/Health Officer of the Macomb County Health Department. “First, it is a great opportunity for people to safely get rid of potentially dangerous materials that may have accumulated over the past sixteen months, and secondly, these materials can pose risks to personal health and the environment that can result from improper storage and disposal.”
The collection event marks the Health Department’s first collection event since March 2020 – just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and stay-at-home orders.
“Health Department employees certainly have had their hands full during the pandemic. We’re delighted that this program is up and running again and that Macomb County residents can take advantage of this wonderful and important service provided by the county,” said Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller. “Unfortunately, some hazardous materials find their way into storm drains or sanitary sewers, carelessly and illegally dumped there.”
Since this program began in 1998, officials say over 53,000 county participants have brought in approximately 3.4 million pounds of household hazardous waste to these collection events