Hazardous Waste
In order to help citizens understand more clearly many of the environmental health issues in Ravalli County and the role of the Environmental Health Department in addressing these issues, our department will run a series of weekly newspaper articles titled “Environmental Health Talk.”
In this ongoing series we hope to help raise the community’s awareness of issues such as air and water quality and give readers useful tips on topics like recycling, collecting and disposing of hazardous materials and maintaining septic systems, just to name a few. To this end, we welcome pubic comment. If there’s an environmental health issue you’d like us to address, write call or email the department: RCEH, c/o “EnviroHealth Talk,” 215 South 4th St, Suite D, Hamilton MT 59840. Phone: 375-6571. Email: rdaniel@ravallicounty.mt.gov
Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Last weekend, Missoula County held its annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event, accepting thousands of gallons of used motor oil, paint, antifreeze and pesticides from Missoula County residents over a two-day period. Such events help keep hazardous waste out of the landfill, sewer system and aquifer and are important for protecting groundwater. Missoula has been holding a household hazardous waste event annually for 15 years.
So why doesn’t Ravalli County have its own collection event? The short answer is “money.” Hazardous waste collection is expensive because the materials received must be properly sorted and disposed of in a safe and legal manner. Missoula’s event cost about $48,000, with the majority of the funding coming from the county’s taxpayer-funded water quality district.
Ravalli County doesn’t have a water quality district, and its current budget is simply stretched too thin to sponsor such an expensive event. The good news is we are currently seeking funding from an outside agency to hold our own county household hazardous waste collection event sometime in 2008. In the meantime, all we can offer are suggestions for what to do with some of the most common household hazardous wastes.
Disposal Options for some common Household Hazardous Wastes
Latex paint is considered non-hazardous. If the paint is good, it’s best to give it to someone who can use it. Otherwise, paint can be solidified using an absorbent such as cat litter. Smaller quantities can be allowed to dry in a well-ventilated area or painted on a board. Once it is solidified, it can be put in the garbage.
Oil-based paint is hazardous and should either be given to someone who can use it or safely stored and disposed of at a HHW event.
Used motor oil, bad gasoline, diesel and other petroleum products will be taken free of charge by Emerald Services in Missoula, 900 Phillips Street (543-7911). Lube Quick in Hamilton will take used oil in exchange for a canned food donation to Haven House.
Antifreeze can be taken to Emerald Services in Missoula, 900 Phillips Street (543-7911).
Car Batteries can be taken to almost any store that sells them, where will be accepted at no charge. For large quantities, say five or more, it’s best to call the store first to make sure they can take them.
Alkaline Batteries can be thrown in the garbage.
Fluorescent bulbs, computers, monitors, cell phones and TVs can be taken to Pete’s Palmer Electric in Missoula, 2407 Harve (543-3086) where they will be assessed the following charges: fluorescent bulbs ($1.42 each), computers (55 cents/lb), monitors ($14 each), cell phones (55 cents/lb), TVs ($20.25 each).
Pesticides/Herbicides should either be given to someone who will use them safely and according to label instructions or safely stored until they can be taken to a HHW event.
As you can see, disposal options in Ravalli County are not as well established as our neighboring county to the north. This is largely due to the fact that Missoula County has had a local water quality district for more than a decade.
Over the next few months, the Ravalli County Environmental Health Department will be compiling a more complete list of local and regional disposal options for household hazardous wastes. And as mentioned before, we are pursuing outside funding options to implement our own hazardous materials collection event.
For now, we suggest you refer to the Missoula Local Water Quality District Web site – www.co.missoula.mt.us/wq -- for more information on the safe disposal of hazardous materials.
The fact that Missoula County, with a population of roughly 100,000, continues to receive more than 5,000 gallons of paint and pesticides each year at its annual HHW event suggests that Ravalli County desperately needs its own collection event. With 40,000 people and no official means of disposal, it’s a safe bet we have plenty of hazardous chemicals that need to be disposed of.
We’re working to address this; but in the meantime, we need to make sure such hazardous chemicals don’t make it into our precious aquifer. Please make sure your household hazardous waste is stored or disposed of properly!
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