Guest Commentary: Start planning for the next hazardous waste collection

Waste not—at least not in your house.

Thanks to all of you who participated in the hazardous waste collection on Nov. 10. It was a great success and the Pima County folks had high compliments for the way it was managed, and especially for the 17 volunteer workers. We had more car-pooling of waste items than usual-a good thing.

No sooner than we finish one collection, we find it’s time to start planning for the next one. That’ll be on Saturday, Feb.16 , from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Valley Presbytenia Church parking lot. It may be lots bigger as we’d like to invite Sahuarita, too. More info to follow.

Your Community Services Committee (of GVCCC) inherited the collection program and is also active in another waste-related matter. We’re in the initial stages of developing a convenient disposal system for out-dated medicines. The concept is to provide secure, permanently installed collection bins at convenient locations throughout the area. When full, the bins will be emptied by licensed professionals for transport to a commercial incinerator. It will mimic a very successful program in effect in San Mateo County, Calif. Stay tuned.

At the last CSC meeting, it was suggested that a sort of advice article for dealing with household hazardous waste might be a good idea. So, here we go!

First of all, just what is “hazardous waste?” OK, that stuff glowing in the dark left over from your nuclear weapons hobby probably is a no-brainer. But what else?

Batteries always seem to cause concern, but some of them can just be thrown in the trash. Those are the alkaline ones that you have in your flashlights. Any size can be safely thrown into your regular garbage container. Sizes D, C, AA and AAA all can go as they are not considered hazardous waste.

But there are other batteries that should be taken to the hazardous waste collection. They include: rechargeable batteries (Ni-Cd [Nickle-Cadmiuml, Ni-MH [Nickle-Metal Hydridel, Li-ion [Lithium-ion], Pb [Lead]). Automobile batteries are lead-acid. Those little button-like batteries in small electronic devices should also be considered potentially hazardous. All of these types of batteries can be set aside until the February 16’ HHW collection.

In my house, I have one of those tall, plastic, kitchen garbage cans to store my hazardous waste. The tall ones handle depleted fluorescent light tubes easily. Of course, a lot of the other things can go there, too. Using tightly secured containers, you can save engine oil and filters, anti-freeze, transmission fluid-even cooking oil.

Medications are potentially hazardous, especially when they are allowed into the aquifer. We all have stocks of meds that have gone out of date. The old guidance was to flush them. Don’t do it! Water purification systems are not able to remove many of the constituent chemicals. You don’t want to be taking your neighbor’s meds. Until we get the meds disposal project underway, just keep them until February.

Some of the other items that seem to accumulate around the house include cleaning products and drain openers, pool chemicals, solvents, paint and pesticides. Old lawn and garden fertilizers and insecticides should also be included.

Anything containing mercury (Hg) is hazardous. Even in small amounts, mercury poison is more toxic than lead, cadmium and even arsenic. Alarmingly, a major source for mercury exposure is in the amalgam fillings in your mouth! Studies have found a direct correlation between the amount of mercury In infant kidneys with the number of amalgam fillings in nursing mothers.

Thermometers and thermostats are other common household sources of mercury. But fluorescent bulbs are kind of bad news, too. Even the new compact fluorescent spiral “green” ones. They all contain mercury. When you change out fluorescent bulbs, be careful not to break them. Binding them together with rubber bands or tape helps to stabilize them until disposal. You might consider putting them in a large garbage bag and then taping around it.

A few items you might not think about as hazardous waste are propane cylinders, computer equipment and printer cartridges. But, whoa! Just because your computer doesn’t always do what you tell it doesn’t mean it’s junk. If it’s truly crashed, then, by all means put it aside for the next HHW` collection.

Finally, anything labeled:”Acid, “Flammable, “Caustic,” “Poison,” “Caution , “Toxic,” “Danger” or “Warning” should be treated with the utmost respect. Anything which might generate fumes should be gotten rid of as soon as you no longer have a use for it. Otherwise, keep it out of the house.

If you prefer not to wait until the next local HHW collection, you can take your items to the Pima County disposal site at 2440 W. Sweetwater Drive in Tucson.

We look forward to seeing you and your neighbors Feb. 16 at the next household hazardous waste collection. Until then, be smart, stay safe.

Waste not—not in your home!

H. L. “Rich” Richey, LtCol, USMC (Ret) Chair, Community Services Committee