HAZARDOUS WASTE
Household Hazardous Wastes (HHW) are materials that are generated by homeowners
and that may be considered hazardous, such as: paints, stains, varnishes,
solvents, pesticides and other materials or products containing volatile
chemicals that can catch fire, react or explode, or that are corrosive or toxic.
Kewaunee County Emergency Management & LEPC
oversees hazardous waste disposal and Clean Sweep programs in Kewaunee County.
Please go to their
Hazardous Waste website for information on how and where
to dispose of items such as solvent & home cleaning product disposal, paint &
other home improvement product disposal, home & garden pesticide disposal, and
waste oil & other automotive product disposal.
Kewaunee
County residents may also take their hazardous wastes to the Brown County
Household Hazardous Waste Facility, which accepts material that pose a
threat to human health and the environment. Contact the Brown County Port &
Solid Waste Department at 920-492-4954 for more information, or go to the
Brown County Household Hazardous Waste website.
Other HHW
materials include:
Electronics: According to the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), electronics (including computers) represent the fastest growing
segment of the waste stream. Obsolete computers, monitors and televisions are
the most common products being discarded. In Kewaunee County, electronics are
recycled at the Kewaunee Land Fill,
please refer to that webpage for more information.
Fluorescent Bulbs: As energy prices have risen, may home and business
owners have begun using fluorescent bulbs to conserve energy and lower electric
bills. One component of fluorescent bulbs is mercury. Many used bulbs are
currently being landfilled rather than recycled. As a response to increased use
of these bulbs, the Kewaunee Land
Fill will accept these bulbs and recycle them, please refer
to that webpage for more information.
Sharps: A special type of medical waste that comprises the needles and
lancets individuals use outside of medical facilities. Wisconsin law prohibits
landfill disposal of sharps that have not been “treated and rendered
unrecognizable.” Individuals generating sharps waste must collect them in
puncture-resistant containers and taken to drop-off sites that may be located at
pharmacies, medical facilities, or in some cases, municipal offices. The
Wisconsin DNR maintains a list of Sharps Collection Stations; you may download
the list from
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/aw/wm/publications/medinf/PUBL_WA_808b_06.pdf
Pharmaceutical waste: Old medicines are of concern due to the potential
to create problems in water pollution; long term exposure for aquatic life and
possibly humans; poisoning; and identity theft. Interest continues to grow
around the state regarding what to do to prevent old or unwanted medicines from
being disposed in the wastewater or garbage. Kewaunee County is in the process
of organizing a “clean sweep” type event for pharmaceutical waste, so keep your
eyes on the Kewaunee Recycles! website for upcoming
information.
Tires: Banned from Wisconsin landfills in 1995, Kewaunee County
residents may recycle their old vehicle tires by dropping them off at the
Kewaunee Land Fill,
please refer to that webpage for more information.
|
