Last year’s household hazardous waste drop-off event attracted 2,841 vehicles. Photo credit: Cathy Colston
COVINGTON, Ky. - Think of it as the average home’s version of fuel rods from a nuclear reactor: dangerous waste that’s difficult to get rid of in a safe and eco-friendly manner.
Things like empty aerosol cans, used antifreeze, dead batteries, left-over pesticides, oil-based paint, and flammable liquids.
On Nov. 3, the challenge is solved.
Covington residents are eligible to drop off a range of household hazardous waste at a free, five-hour regional event in Florence.
“People ask all the time what they can do to save the Earth,” said Sheila Fields, the City’s Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator. “This is the event they’ve been waiting for. These are the materials that turn our waterways and dirt into dead zones when they’re disposed of improperly.”
The event is a massive undertaking that attracted 2,841 vehicles last year (up from 738 in 2010). Because of its size, it needs two things to be efficient and successful:
- Residents to bring a short and simple registration form that they filled out ahead of time. (See below).
- And volunteers.
The event will be held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the UC Health Stadium (aka the home of the Florence Freedom baseball team), at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence.
It’s organized by the Northern Kentucky Household Hazardous Waste Action Coalition, made up of regional solid waste, sewer, health and cooperative extension agencies.
Items that can be dropped off:
- Aerosol cans.
- Antifreeze.
- Batteries (all types).
- Corrosives/flammables (fuel, kerosene, etc.).
- E-scraps (computers, monitors, keyboards, printers, cell phones, etc.).
- Ink cartridges/toner.
- Light bulbs (including 4-foot and 8-foot tubes).
- Oil (motor oil, hydraulic fluid, transmission fluid, and brake fluid).
- Paint (10-can limit).
- Paper (documents to be shredded).
- Pesticides (2 gallon/2 lbs. limit).
- Propane tanks (20 lbs. only).
- Televisions (limit of 2 per vehicle).
Items that WON’T be accepted include appliances, fertilizer, devices that contain mercury, medications, explosives, and tires. (Visit
HERE for proper disposal methods of these items.)
Residents only have to drive up in their car with a registration form, and volunteers will unload the materials and sort them. To download or print out the form, see
HERE.
“Only 93 people from Covington dropped off items last year, so we’re trying to spread the word - we know there’s need for this event,” Fields said.
People should leave time to get through the line, whose length will depend on how many cars and volunteers show up.
Volunteers
Organizers said they need 200 volunteers; as of now, they have 155.
Volunteers must be age 13 or older. Gloves, safety glasses, and a safety vest will be provided, as will breakfast, lunch, and a T-shirt.
For more information about the event, see
HERE.
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