The final Adams County Household Chemical and Electronic Waste Roundup of 2010 will be held on Saturday, September 18th, at the Thornton Infrastructure Maintenance Center (IMC), 12450 Washington Street. The event will operate from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.This event is open to residents of Commerce City, Federal Heights, Thornton, and unincorporated Adams County. Participants will be asked for a driver’s license, water bill, utility bill or phone bill to verify residence. Residents are encouraged to register in advance online at www.tchd.org/householdchemical.htm to decrease wait time at the event. People do not even have to get out of their vehicles as they drive through the Roundup, since volunteers will unload the materials.
Participants at the Roundup event may get rid of paint and paint products, motor oil, antifreeze, vehicle batteries, household rechargeable batteries, solvents, house and garden chemicals, fluorescent light bulbs, CFLs, scrap metal, fire extinguishers, fireworks, ammunition, items containing mercury, propane tanks, and passenger vehicle and pickup truck tires. We will also be accepting and recycling ALL electronics, including computers, TVs, cell phones, printers, data devices, small appliances, and stereo equipment.
The event is offered free-of-charge to residents of unincorporated Adams County and the participating Cities, however, participants are asked for a $20 contribution to help offset the high costs of hazardous waste disposal, which can cost more than $100 through a private company. There is an additional charge of $2 per tire, $8 per computer monitor, $15 per TV, and a charge for all other electronics ranging from free to $2 per item.
There will also be a FREE Drop-and-Swap area where people can leave or take household cleaners, paint products, car wax, antifreeze, fertilizer and garden products that are still in their original containers. Sharing these products helps the environment, since the products get used up, rather than becoming part of landfill trash. The Drop-and-Swap also helps reduce the Roundup’s disposal costs.
The Roundup cannot accept waste from businesses, and cannot accept radioactive waste, smoke detectors, empty drums, asbestos, tractor tires, explosives stronger than fireworks, or any compressed gases other than propane.
Residents with water-based latex paint products are encouraged to dry the paint at home by mixing in an absorbent such as kitty litter, sand or dirt, and then disposing of the dried paint with their regular garbage. Solidified latex paint is not considered a hazardous waste, and properly disposing of it at home will significantly help lower the Roundup’s disposal costs.
Volunteers are greatly needed at the event to help with registration, vehicle off-load, and waste processing. Volunteers are provided with free food throughout the day, a gift for helping out at the event, and are allowed to dispose of their waste for free. Individuals and groups interested in helping with this event should contact Ethan Novikoff at (720) 322-1508.
This event is sponsored by Adams County; the cities of Commerce City, Federal Heights, and Thornton; Darling International Inc.; Suncor Energy (USA), and Tri-County Health Department. Arrangements have been made to make the Roundup accessible for people with disabilities. Call Ethan Novikoff at Tri-County Health Department, (720) 322-1508.
The Cities of Brighton and Northglenn are not participating in the Adams County Household Chemical Roundups this year. This does not affect residents of Unincorporated Adams County who have Brighton or Northglenn addresses, since anyone in Unincorporated Adams County is eligible to attend. Brighton residents should contact the Brighton Utilities Department at (303) 655-2082, and Northglenn residents are encouraged to contact the Northglenn Solid Waste Division at (303) 450-4004 for more information and a list of disposal services. The Cities of Aurora and Westminster administer separate household hazardous waste collection programs, call: Aurora, (303) 739-7372; or Westminster, 303-658-2400 x 3362.
For more information, visit www.tchd.org/householdchemical.htm or call the 24-hour Household Chemical Roundup InfoLine at (303) 846-6249. Recorded information is available in both English and Spanish.
