Press Release - Monday, March 01, 2004
Press Releases
No Data
GOVERNOR EXPANDS HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTIONS PROGRAM
SPRINGFIELD --- Governor Rod Blagojevich today announced that an additional eight hazardous waste collection events, for a total of 20 events, will be held around the state starting on March 20.
"We are pleased this popular program that is sponsored by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in partnership with local communities and organizations will be expanded," the Governor said. "We estimate 19,000 more households will be served by the events this spring,"
The state share of the cost of the collections is covered by a portion of the fees collected on disposal of garbage in landfills.
"The program not only gets potentially harmful chemicals out of homes but also keeps them out of landfills through recycling," Governor Blagojevich noted.
The Governor also announced two new features will be added to the collections for the first time. Donations of eyeglasses will be accepted and distributed to those in need through the Lions Club International program and cell phones will also be collected and passed on to local charitable groups.
"We are grateful for the strong support of Gov. Blagojevich and the Illinois General Assembly as well as local communities for this program and this spring we will have collection events in Moultrie, Randolph and Clark Counties for the first time," said Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano.
The events will be held this Spring from March 20 through June 12 (schedule below) and are held on Saturdays in partnership with local communities or organizations. They give citizens the opportunity to safely dispose of unused or leftover household products such as chemicals and pesticides, most of which are recycled or neutralized, rather than going into landfills.
Upon completion of the spring schedule, a total of 85 Illinois counties and more than 300,000 households will have been served since the program bein in 1988.
Citizens may bring oil-based paints, thinners, chemical cleaners, antifreeze, motor oil, weed killers, insecticides and pesticides and similar household products. Fluorescent and other high-intensity discharge lamps may also be brought to the collections. The public is encouraged to find alternative uses for latex paint since it is not considered hazardous.
Residents are also encouraged to bring mercury and mercury containing products such as fever thermometers, old thermostats and elemental mercury from hobbyists, as part of the multi-faced initiative by Gov. Blagojevich and IEPA to reduce the amount of this hazardous material in our environment.
Items not accepted include explosives, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, agricultural chemicals and all business wastes. Propane tanks and lead acid auto batteries cannot be accepted at most of the events, but can be taken to local recyclers.
SPRING 2004 COLLECTION SCHEDULE and CO-SPONSORS
One-day collections are open from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on scheduled Saturdays
March 20 - McHenry Co. College, 8900 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake; with McHenry Co. Department of Planning & Development
March 27 - S. Central FS, 1800 Hillsboro Road, Vandalia; with Fayette Co. Health Dept.
March 27 - Western Illinois University Parking Lot, 300 West University Drive, Macomb; with Tri County Resource & Waste Management Council
April 3 - City Facility, 2300 W. 52nd Street, Chicago; with Chicago Dept. of Environment
April 17 - Municipal Public Works Facility, 415 Prospect Avenue, Itasca; with Village of Itasca & Wood Dale Fire Protection District
April 17 - Carus Chemical Corp, 200-300 S. 5th St., Peru; with Carus Chemical/LaSalle Co
April 17 - Wyman Park, Sullivan; with Moultrie County Health Department
April 24 - Dixon High School, Lincoln Statue Drive, Dixon; with Lee and Ogle Co.
April 24 - DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, 655 Executive Dr., DuQuoin; with City of DuQuoin
April 24 - Oak Forest Public Works, 15721 S. Lorel Ave, Oak Forest, enter from 159th Street; with South Suburban Mayors & Managers and Village of Oak Forest
May 1 - Coles Co Airport, 432 Airport Road, Mattoon; with Coles Co Regional Planning & Development Commission
May 1 - Interstate Center, 2301 W. Market Street, Bloomington; with Ecology Action Center, McLean Co, U of I Extension
May 15 - Kane Co Fair, 2N710 Randall Rd, St. Charles; with Kane Co/Environment
May 15 - Sparta City Park, W. Belmont St., Sparta; with Randolph Co, City of Sparta, and Chamber
May 15 - East Peoria Festival Bldg, 2200 E Washington St., East Peoria; with City of East Peoria
May 22 - Melvin Price Park, 1500 Caseyville Avenue, Swansea; with Village of Swansea
May 22 - Clark Co Fairgrounds, 620 S. York St, Martinsville; with Clark Co Health Dept
May 22- Mt. Prospect Public Works Facility, 1700 West Central Road, Mt. Prospect; with Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and Village of Mount Prospect
June 5 - Judith Giacoma School, 200 Walnut St., Westville; with Vermilion Co Solid Waste
June 12 - Ridgewood High School Parking Lot, 7500 West Montrose, Norridge; with Village of Norridge & West Cook County Solid Waste Agency
For questions concerning the Illinois EPA's one day or long-term collections please call the Waste Reduction Unit at (217) 785-8604. In addition, the following long-term facilities are available for disposal of Household Hazardous Waste: Naperville: 1971 Brookdale Road, Fire Station No. 4, Phone 630/420-6700 # 7559; Rockford: 3333 Kishwaukee, Rock River Reclamation District Phone 815/967-6737; Lake County: The Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (SWALCO) also operates a long-term collection program. Information and a collection schedule can be found on their web site at http://www.co.lake.il.us/swalco/, or by calling 847/336-9340. Household hazardous waste collection schedules and information can also be found on the Agency's web page: www.epa.state.il.us.
Press Releases
No Data