Residents can each bring up to 200 pounds of household hazardous wastes to the borough’s solid waste transfer site at the end of the month and go home with their pickup or car trunk empty — no charge.
The annual drop-off event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 29-30, with a lunchtime closure from 11 a.m. to noon both days, said Tom Wetor, the borough’s public works director.
The borough sponsors the free drop-off to keep hazardous wastes out of the sewer system, out of landfills, and out of homes.
Wrangell is a member of the Southeast Alaska Solid Waste Authority, a cooperative of several smaller communities, which contracts with another operator, Clean Harbors, to pack the hazardous materials into safe and secure barrels for transport to approved processing and disposal sites in the Lower 48, Wetor explained.
The collections “have helped the borough protect our community’s wastewater treatment plant” from contamination by hazardous wastes, the public works department said.
The free drop-off event is open for household waste only. Commercial waste will be accepted both days, but at the usual disposal fees.
“Eligible waste products include solvents, waste oil, paint/stain, antifreeze, cleaners, poisons, acids, caustics, furniture stripper, herbicides, pesticides, printing and photographic chemicals, batteries, all other household wastes,” the department said. “Do not mix wastes and do not mix oils and latex paints. Please label your containers.”
And seal your containers, too, Wetor said.
The event will not accept explosives, gun powder, reactive materials such as sodium metal, radioactive waste, material containing asbestos and infectious wastes.
A full list of what’s allowed and not allowed is available at city hall, the solid waste transfer station and at the public works office, or call the office at 874-3904.
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