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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May
19, 2004
Contact:
David Baker, Solid Waste Educator (360) 357-2491 x 7669
WasteMobile
Clears out Toxics
Rochester
Rain or shine, residents brought their hazardous
household wastes to the Thurston County WasteMobile last weekend, May 14th-16th.
Residents from the Rochester-Grand Mound-Tenino area came to the site
where the WasteMobile was temporarily set up to take old pesticides, paints,
batteries, car fluids and the like, as a free service of the Thurston County
Solid Waste Division and Thurston County Environmental Health.
Over eighty 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, yard, or down the drain. We
cleared out some old and nasty chemicals this weekend.”
The total amount came to over 4 tons.
The largest quantities were motor oil, batteries (almost a ton), and
paints, along with antifreeze, fuels, and pesticides.
The WasteMobile made its first visit to Rochester
in 2000, and was also in Rainier that year.
It has also been in Yelm and Tenino, in 2001 and 2002 respectively.
The purpose of the WasteMobile is to provide convenient service for
proper disposal and recycling of household toxic products to residents who
live far from the Waste and Recovery Center.
The WasteMobile was a pilot program started in 2000 that is now a
regular part of solid and hazardous waste services provided to county
residents. More than 2000 participants and over 50 tons of hazardous materials
have been collected since 2000, when the first WasteMobile was in Rainier.
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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