by Doug Radunich

STAFF WRITER

The Tooele County Health Department will sponsor its "Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day" once again this year on Saturday, May 10.

Those who are wanting to get rid of household hazardous waste that day can come to the county health department building at 151 N. Main St. in Tooele between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. People will be able to stay in their cars as volunteers pick up their waste for them.

"We ask that people not get out of their vehicles because volunteers in Tyvek suits will take the waste out of their trunks once they pull in," said Bucky Whitehouse, public information officer for the Tooele County Health Department. "Drivers will enter from Main Street and exit out onto 50 West, and law enforcement officials will be directing traffic. Our 20 to 30 volunteers taking waste will consist of Tooele County employees, environmental health staff members and Clean Harbors staff members."

People can bring used oils, paints, poisons, batteries, chemicals, antifreeze, pesticides, prescription medications, or unwanted products labeled "Poison," "Warning," or "Caution." However, people should not bring waste from businesses, containers larger than five gallons, explosives, ammunition, radioactive waste or compressed gas cylinders.

"If people have those kinds of items that we can't take, they should call Clean Harbors to find out what to do," said Robert Warner, environmental health scientist for the health department. "Because it will be around spring cleaning time, we expect to get a lot of people who may be cleaning out their garages and storage sheds."

Bryan Slade, an environmental health scientist, stressed the importance of recycling and safely disposing of all toxic garbage.

"As a general rule, we encourage people to always recycle, instead of throwing their hazardous garbage away to end up in a landfill," he said. "It's very important to protect the environment, and we encourage recycling every way we can."

The county health department will also sponsor another waste collection day on Saturday, Sept. 6, at the same time, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more information visit www.tooelehealth.org.

dougrad@tooeletranscript.com