Annual drop off draws hundreds of people

It has become a yearly pilgrimage for some: taking that old, unwanted can of paint or bottle of insect killer and a printer that doesn’t work to Haverhill for disposal at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event.

The Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste District, Dow Chemical and Americas Styrenics offer the free-of-charge service to the residents of the two counties each year. Residents may bring scrap tires, hazardous chemicals that cannot be disposed of in regular household trash, non-working office electronics and even unused prescription medication to the Dow Chemical Plant at Haverhill. Solid waste officials, Dow and Americas Styrenics volunteers, Veolia Environmental representatives and Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputies will collect the unwanted items for proper disposal.

LSSWMD Education Coordinator Stephanie Helms cautioned that each year she sees cars loaded with old television sets and microwaves. These items are on the prohibited list.

“Every year we see them but we don’t take them,” Helms said. “We take office electronics only; no TVs and no microwaves.”

Also on the prohibited list are explosives, ammunition, yard waste, fuel tanks, heating oil tanks, regular household waste and appliances such as refrigerators.

Items that are accepted include old computers, computer monitors, printers, cellular phones, paint thinners and cleaning products as well as unwanted prescription medication, pesticides, herbicides and scrap tires.

The hours are 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The route to Dow Chemical will be marked and motorists do not have to leave their cars; the items will be collected by waste event workers.