No.
“With the potential of the Environmental Management Department being privatized this year, we have decided to delay the HHW event until some time in either January or February (2010),” says Lynn Bestul, New Hanover County solid waste planner.
Once the recycling day is scheduled, it will be posted on the county Web site: www.nhcgov.com. Bestul says the majority of materials brought to household hazardous waste events can be disposed of year-round.
“One of the largest materials (in volume) brought to the past HHW was paint,” Bestul says. “Paint can be solidified by mixing sand and kitty litter in the can and letting it dry. Then it can be placed in the household garbage.” If someone wants to dispose of paint without solidifying it, it can be taken to the county waste to energy facility at 3002 U.S. 421 North. There is a minimum $5 fee or a tip fee of $55.65 per ton, whichever is greater. Bestul says paint won’t be accepted at the next household hazardous waste event because it can be property disposed of throughout the year.
Oil and anti-freeze, which also make up a significant percentage of materials brought to HHW events, can be taken to the county landfill on U.S. 421 North at no cost, Bestul says.
“The other big item is electronics. We have worked on scheduling three to four electronic events per years to reduce the volume of the one-day HHW event,” Bestul says.
Bestul recommends that citizens with pesticides or fertilizers “check with neighbors to see if anyone can use them. It’s always best to find someone who can use these items instead of disposing of them,” he says. The county Recycling Division has had to contend with citizens and businesses using recycling drop-off sites as a “dumping ground” for various materials.
“None of the items above should be brought to the recycling drop-off sites. Dumping unauthorized materials at these sites is punishable by citation from the county sheriff’s department for up to $500,” Bestul says.
If citizens spot someone illegally dumping materials at recycling drop-off sites, Bestul requests that they call the Sheriff’s Office at 798-4260 or 798-4295 “with as much description as they can give.”
Date posted: October 19, 2009
User-contributed question by:
Anonymous
1. Where can take CFL bulbs that have mercury in them?
2. Where can take tree limbs?
3. Is there a way STAR news could list New Hanover County Hazardous Waste Day when it is decided when next one it will be? ..on front page?
4. Is there a New Hanover County Recycling Advisory Board? If so, how talk to them? If not, why not?
5. To the Powers That Be: Please consider deciding on a certain day EACH YEAR, or more than once a year, that is decided not by a particular date but by being the first, second, third (etc) Monday (Tues, Weds, Thurs) in a given month. That way we can mark our calendars and be sure of the dates each year.
6. Why not have a staffed site open every week day and Sat. that collects ALL waste, ALL the time – as our town did in Massachusetts, number one town in state for recycling. Made a ton of money.
We certainly appreciate the county’s effort in supporting common sense disposal of hazardous waste….not!