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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday,
May 12, 2006
Contact:
Jennifer
Johnson, Education and Outreach Specialist (360) 754-4111 ext. 7631
Wastemobile
Collects Tons of Hazardous Materials
OLYMPIA
– The WasteMobile in Tenino collected and safely disposed of 4.5 tons of
hazardous materials in the course of one weekend, May 6-7.
Thank you to everyone who cleared out their unwanted household
hazardous products from well houses, cupboards, garages, and basements to help
protect our community’s health. Improperly
used and stored hazardous materials pose a threat to our ground water which
most of us in
Thurston
County
tap into for drinking water. Properly
disposing of products rather than storing them for long periods of time
reduces the risk of leaks, spills, and contamination of water and soil.
Eighty-eight households participated in the
collection. “We’re really glad
to help,” said David Baker, the event organizer and an Environmental
Educator with the County. “It’s
great to see that people understand this stuff shouldn’t go in their
garbage, on their yard, or down the drain.
We cleared out some old and nasty chemicals this weekend.”
Motor oil and auto batteries were common products
disposed of. Country Car Care in
Tenino accepts used motor oil, Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:00 p.m.
The Rainier Drop Box accepts car batteries Fridays and Saturdays from
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Rochester
Drop Box accepts used oil filters and car batteries and is open Tuesdays,
Saturdays, and Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Grand
Mound Diesel, Yelm Schuck’s and Yelm Jiffy Lube also accept used motor oil.
There is no charge to recycle used motor oil or to use the County drop
boxes. These services mean that
you don’t have to store hazardous materials waiting for the next collection
event!
Unsure whether a product is hazardous? Signal words on the label indicate
whether a product is considered hazardous and the level of toxicity.
The terms “danger” and “poison” on the label indicate that a
product is highly hazardous and should be disposed of as hazardous waste.
The terms “caution” and “warning” mean that the product is
mildly to moderately hazardous and should also be disposed of as hazardous
waste. The lack of one of these
“signal words” (danger, poison, warning, caution) on a modern product
means that the product is not considered toxic and can be disposed of in the
regular trash. These signal words
can be used to choose the least-toxic products when shopping.
Residents can bring household hazardous products,
free, any time of year to HazoHouse at the Thurston County Waste and
Recovery
Center
off Interstate 5 at exit 111. HazoHouse
is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 8 to 5.
For more information, call 360-357-2491 or the TDD line 754-2933.
Or check the website at www.co.thurston.wa.us/wwm
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