Household hazardous waste collection event set for Saturday

Published 6:52 pm Thursday, June 6, 2019

Warren County residents have the opportunity Saturday to dispose of old household chemicals, paint and appliances during the county’s 22nd household hazardous waste collection day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sherman Avenue Elementary School.

The program is co-sponsored by the Warren County Board of Supervisors and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.

County environmental officer Katie Martin said the collection stations will be set up on the school’s parking lots. The annual collection day moved this year to Sherman Avenue from Warren Central High School because of construction at Warren Central.

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“It’s going to be just like Warren Central, but it’s just going to be on both sides of the school; there’s two parking lots behind the school and then there’s one in front of the school, so half of it (the collection) will be in the front of the school and half is going to be in the back,” she said. “There will be one way in and one way out.”

She said workers will direct people through the collection areas, and signs will be posted identifying each station.

Hazardous materials accepted during the collection day include batteries, used motor oil, antifreeze, insecticides, aerosols, acids, flammable liquids, paint, computer equipment, L.P. cylinders, TVs, fluorescent lights and ammunition.

Metals, tires, clothes and furniture will also be accepted. Martin said the computer equipment is collected by an organization that will dispose of it.

“The only thing we won’t take is refrigerators and freezers with food in them,” Martin said. “We can’t take it (the food).”

She said workers will shred documents, adding people will have to remove any staples, paper clips, binding clips or other metal objects, because they will jam the shredder.

People can also drop off torn and worn America Flags for proper disposal.

“We’ve done that last year and the year before,” Martin said. “What we do is work with America Legion and we’ll collect flags, and usually around 1 p.m. (on the collection day) they’ll come by and pick them up and they have their ceremony and dispose of them.”

About John Surratt

John Surratt is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in general studies. He has worked as an editor, reporter and photographer for newspapers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post staff since 2011 and covers city government. He and his wife attend St. Paul Catholic Church and he is a member of the Port City Kiwanis Club.

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