27.1 tons of hazardous waste exported off island

Clean Harbors Environmental Services exported 27.1 tons of hazardous waste for either recycling, special incineration in Arkansas or Utah, or reuse to fuel the contractor’s mercury reclamation plant in Arkansas.

May 11, 2012 4:43 pm
County officials said the solution to the problem of health risks and contamination from hazardous wastes is reduction. Islanders are urged to only buy the amount you need
County officials said the solution to the problem of health risks and contamination from hazardous wastes is reduction. Islanders are urged to only buy the amount you need

A total of 251 island householders and 31 businesses safely disposed of flammable, toxic, corrosive or reactive materials at this spring’s hazardous waste collection events. Clean Harbors Environmental Services exported 27.1 tons of hazardous waste for either recycling, special incineration in Arkansas or Utah, or reuse to fuel the contractor’s mercury reclamation plant in Arkansas. Businesses paid a total of $8,700 this year to dispose of 1,740 gallons.  Hundreds of fluorescent tubes were also collected from islanders to recycle their mercury content.

County officials said the solution to the problem of health risks and contamination from hazardous wastes is reduction.  Islanders are urged to only buy the amount you need, use the least toxic product possible for the job, share any excess with others, and recycle as much as possible before safe disposal.

San Juan County’s Hazardous Waste and Waste Reduction thanks Islands Marine Center, Lopez Island School District, San Juan County Parks and Start to Finnish Painting.

For more information on managing your waste safely, call Helen Venada, San Juan County’s Hazardous Waste and Waste Reduction coordinator at 370-0503 or helenv@sjcpublicworks.org or Brian Rader, the County Pollution Prevention Sspecialist at 370-7581 or at brianr@sanjuanco.com for information on business waste.