If your garage or basement is like seemingly everyone else’s in the universe, there are undoubtedly plastic bottles of half-used, virtually empty or sometimes barely touched household chemicals from backyard pesticides to ordinary motor oil lined up just waiting for some way to be rid of them. Most people are smart enough to know that such things cannot be simply tossed in with common household trash. Unfortunately, most people tend to forget time after time that there are proper, safe and even free ways to dispose of such waste that otherwise can prove hazardous in the wrong mixtures or the wrong hands. One of those safe, free opportunities is coming up thanks to your Berrien County government.
You have the unique opportunity to properly recycle and dispose of household chemical waste and electronic equipment on Wednesday, August 16 at Love Creek County Park, located at 9292 Huckleberry Road in Berrien Center, and in most cases there is no charge.
This next community recycling event runs from 3pm to 7pm on that day. Accepted items include most household and garage chemicals, liquids and cleaners; pills, sharps and other home medical waste; batteries of all sizes; and electronics.
There is a fee of $20 per television and $10 per computer monitor to simply help cover the cost of properly dismantling and recycling of the more dangerous components found in such devices. All other items are accepted at no cost to residents. Donations are, however, accepted and appreciated to help cover other collection costs associated with the process of conducting such events.
Latex Paint will NOT be accepted at this event, and you are reminded that simply removing the lid on such non-toxic paints will allow it to dry out and then can be added into your regular trash receptacle. For more information you can contact the Berrien County Parks Department at www.berriencounty.org/recycle, or call Jill Adams, who runs the county’s environmental property management team at 983-7111 x8234.
