Celebrate Earth Week by Disposing of Household Hazardous Waste

Local residents can dispose of household hazardous waste such as old and leftover automotive, home improvement and garden products for free at an event on Saturday in Sevierville.

Household hazardous waste materials are those considered flammable, toxic, reactive and/or corrosive that should not be placed with regular garbage.

The Extreme Household Cleanup Event will be held 8 a.m.–1 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2016 in front of Sevierville City Hall at the municipal complex, 120 Gary Wade Boulevard in Sevierville, Tenn.

The event is sponsored by Keep Sevier Beautiful and paid for by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

“Our household hazardous waste mobile collection service provides the people of Tennessee with a safe, environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted household chemicals and other potentially hazardous wastes at no cost,” said Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau. “This service travels across the state holding collection events in local communities, and we encourage all Tennesseans to take advantage of the opportunity to utilize it.”

The agency advises consumers that hazardous materials should be kept in the original containers whenever possible. If not, place each waste in a separate plastic container with a secure lid and label its contents. Place materials for disposal in sturdy boxes lined with newspaper to prevent spills and cross-contamination during transportation in the trunk of a car or back of a truck.

Household hazardous waste accepted at the event:

Automotive and Marine Products

• Oil and fuel additives
• Grease and rust solvents, naval jelly
• Carburetor and fuel injector cleaners
• Starter fluids
• Body putty
• Antifreeze / coolant
• Gasoline

Home Maintenance and Improvement Products

• Used strippers and thinners
• Adhesives
• Driveway sealant
• Roofing tar
• Wallpaper remover
• Paints, stains and varnishes

Home Lawn and Garden Products

• Pesticides and fertilizers
• Wood preservatives

Miscellaneous

• Electronics
• Pool chemicals
• Photo processing chemicals
• Medications / drugs
• Aerosols / compressed gas
• Mercury thermostats and thermometers
• Fluorescent tubes
• Compact fluorescent bulbs
• Rechargeable batteries
• Helium / propane tanks

 

The following items cannot be accepted at the event:

Medical / Biological

• Needles and sharps
• Infectious wastes
• Dead animals
• Any waste from a doctor’s office, clinic or veterinary office

Explosives / Ammunition

• Fireworks
• Military ordnance
• Gunpowder
• Ammunition

Radioactives

• Smoke detectors
• Radium paint

Business or Institutional Waste

• Waste from businesses, large or small
• Waste from colleges, schools or hospitals
• Waste from home improvement or painting contractors
• Waste from agribusiness

Miscellaneous

• Empty containers of any kind
• Automotive gas tanks
• Laboratory chemicals
• Cooking oil
• Alkaline batteries that may be disposed of in the trash

For more information, call 865-774-6677.

Photo: By Tom Murphy VII (user:brighterorange) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons