ST. JAMES—If cleaning the garage is still on your to-do-list for 2016, make plans now to properly dispose of that old motor oil, busted car battery or half-used containers of brake fluid, turpentine or muriatic acid that may be hiding on the shelf.
Residents of Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties who have household hazardous waste materials, like car batteries, CFL light bulbs, used oil or antifreeze or other toxic, poisonous or flammable products, can dispose of them free of charge, year round, at satellite Household Hazardous Waste facilities in Rolla and St. Robert.
While the service is free, an appointment is necessary to drop-off materials at either location during normal business hours, depending on which facility the person wishes to visit. The number for Rolla Environmental Services is 573-364-6693. The St. Robert facility can be reached at 573-336-5155.
Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD), in partnership with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), provided funding to the two cities to establish and operate the facilities. Solid waste department employees in St. Robert and Rolla have been trained in accepting hazardous materials and in proper storage. The Rolla facility opened in January 2008, and the St. Robert facility opened in February 2008. ORSWMD and MDNR continue to cover disposal costs, while the cities pay for training staff to operate the facilities.
“The district used to offer one-day HHW collections in a couple of locations each year,” said Bonnie Prigge, executive director of MRPC. “With the district’s partnership with Rolla and St. Robert, residents now have more accessibility to services throughout the year and the program is more cost effective.”
The facilities are designed to serve residential customers only, said Tammy Snodgrass, administrator of the solid waste district and environmental programs manager for Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC). Business and commercial waste is prohibited.
As awareness of environmental issues has increased, most people are looking for safe and healthy alternatives to dispose of waste with a less negative impact on the natural world. The Rolla and St. Robert recycling centers give consumers a realistic avenue to dispose of household hazardous waste, said Brady Wilson, the director of environmentalservices department for the city of Rolla.
“Residents can make an appointment to deliver their HHW for recycling or proper disposal,”
Wilson said. “Materials must be identified by labeling and/or must be in the original container.”
Customers should be prepared to describe the types of materials and quantity of each that will be dropped off so that staff can make arrangements to receive and properly store the materials at the facility.
A substance is considered hazardous when it contains ingredients or a combination of ingredients that can be harmful to the environment and/or human health, explained Snodgrass. HHW products may ignite easily, react or explode when mixed with other substances, or may be corrosive, toxic or poisonous. Each facility has established limits on the number of gallons of liquids that a household can drop off in a visit. For a complete list of items accepted for drop off at the facility, please contact the facility or go to the respective city websites at www.rollacity.org/wasteor www.saintrobert.com and look for the link to the Transfer Station.
“Rolla and St. Robert both saw the need to manage HHW and volunteered to host satellite collection centers. ORSWMD provides funds to cover disposal costs and MRPC administers the grant and assists with promoting the program,” Snodgrass said. “It’s a partnership that works to protect the environment, our citizens and the solid waste workers who dispose of trash.”
The Ozark Rivers District includes Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities with populations of 500 or more. The district’s strategy for reduction, which has been individually adopted by all member governments and approved by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, involves intense education and increased recycling efforts in member counties and cities. Ozark Rivers contracts with MRPC to provide day-to-day operations and oversee special projects on behalf of the district.
To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion.