Household Hazardous Waste Collection at Moraine Valley

Household Hazardous Waste Collection at Moraine Valley

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago will host a household hazardous waste collection at Moraine Valley Community College on May 3, 2014. This is the first of three Cook County household hazardous waste collections.

Who: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD), the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Moraine Valley Community College, and the Center for Sustainability

What: Household Hazardous Waste Collection

When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2014

Where: Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Parkway, Palos Hills, IL; enter on 88th Ave.

Illinois residents will be able to dispose of their household hazardous waste in an environmentally-friendly manner on Saturday, May 3 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Parkway, Palos Hills, IL.

While they are routinely used to clean, maintain vehicles, and garden, household hazardous waste poses an environmental threat. Consumer product labels that include “danger,” “warning,” or “caution” in the text are an indication that the product should be disposed of in a special manner.

“These products are harmful to the water environment, so it is important that residents use, store and dispose of them properly,” said MWRD President Kathleen Therese Meany. “The MWRD is happy to work with our state and municipal partners to bring this collection opportunity to the south suburbs.”

Items that residents may bring include unwanted medicines, chemical cleaners, aerosol and oil-based paints, paint thinners, antifreeze, weed killers, insecticides, pesticides, and similar hazardous household products. Batteries and electronic waste will also be collected. Smoke detectors, agricultural chemicals, controlled substances and sharps will not be accepted. Latex paint is not considered hazardous; it can be dried and taken out with the regular trash.

Gently used clothing will be accepted and donated to local organizations. Contractor, agricultural, business, governmental, commercial, industrial, school or public works wastes cannot be accepted.

A complete list of waste that will and will not be accepted can be found at http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/hazardous-waste/household-haz-waste/hhwc-acceptable.html. To find additional collection opportunities, visit http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/hazardous-waste/household-haz-waste/hhwc-schedule.html.

Two additional HHW collections will be held in Cook County; on May 17, items may be brought to Countryside City Hall, 5550 East Ave., Countryside, and on June 28, items may be brought to Eisenhower High School, 12700 Sacramento Ave., Blue Island. Operating hours for both are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.