The Southwestern PA Household Hazardous Waste Task Force will kick off its 2007 collection season with its first event on April 28 at the North Park Swimming Pool parking lot in Allegheny County starting at 9:00 a.m. and running to 1:00 p.m.

This Allegheny County collection event is sponsored in cooperation with the North Hills Council of Governments.

The average home can easily accumulate 100 pounds of household hazardous waste, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They include: cleaners, non-latex paints, stains and varnishes, car batteries, automotive fluids, pesticides, pool chemicals and other products containing potentially hazardous ingredients.

Individuals dropping off waste materials in Allegheny County are required to pay a fee of $2 per gallon. Payment will be cash only (no checks or credit cards accepted).

For more information on what will and will not be accepted at this collection event, visit the Southwestern PA Household Hazardous Waste Task Force website or call the Pennsylvania Resources Council at 412-488-7452.

“This year the Task Force is celebrating a very important milestone: to date, we’ve collected and disposed of more than one million pounds of household hazardous waste,” according to Dave Mazza of the Pennsylvania Resources Council, which serves as the Task Force’s administrator. “While a significant number, this just begins to scratch the surface of the problem of safe disposal of these materials.

“Since the first collection took place in 2003, the group has collected 1,004,657 pounds of materials from more than 11,000 households,” said Mazza. “The Task Force has partnered with numerous groups and organizations to provide the public with an opportunity to dispose of hazardous materials in a safe, cost effective and environmentally friendly manner.”

“Homeowners typically find potentially hazardous products in five areas of their homes: the kitchen, bathroom, garage, workshop and garden,” said Mazza. “While products classified as household hazardous waste are safe to use if you follow all label directions, problems can arise when you use or dispose of them improperly. In addition, information is coming to light regarding the negative health impacts long-term exposure to some common household chemicals can cause.”

The Southwestern PA Household Hazardous Waste Task Force, formed in 2002, secures funding, organizes events and creates a partnership of individuals representing governmental, private and public organizations. Numerous organizations support the household hazardous waste collection campaign by providing financial support of the events.

Task Force partners include: ALCOSAN, Allegheny County Health Department, Armstrong County, Bayer Corporation, Beaver County, Butler County, Cambria County, Carnegie Mellon University, Char-West Council of Governments, City of Pittsburgh, Environmental Quality Management, Inc., Environmental Resources Management, Inc., Green Tree Borough, Lawrence County, McKeesport Municipal Authority, North Hills Council of Governments, PA CleanWays of Allegheny County, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Resources Council, PPG Industries, Inc., Venango County and Westmoreland Cleanways.

For more information on collections, visit the Southwestern PA Household Hazardous Waste Task Force website or call the Pennsylvania Resources Council at 412-488-7452.

4/13/2007