HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE (HHW) PERMANENT COLLECTION PROGRAM
Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority
2005 INFORMATION SHEET

Contact: Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority at (906) 249-4108.
Call Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Collections are from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at all the following sites:
The West End Transfer Station, The Marquette Area Waste Water Treatment Plant, The Forsyth Township Public Works Garage Area, The Skandia/West Branch Transfer Station.

Hazardous substances are substances that when used, stored, handled or disposed of improperly, pose a risk to people or to the environment. These materials may be toxic, corrosive, reactive or flammable. Many household products fit this category.

How To Identify HHW: Read the label. Look for the signal words, "Danger- Poison, Danger, Warning, Caution, Flammable or Caustic".

Examples of HHW To Be Accepted:

Pesticides	Weed Killers	Solvents
Flammables	Wood Preservatives	Photographic Chemicals
Motor Oil & Oil Filters	Transmission Fluid	Antifreeze
Moth Repellents	Metallic Mercury & Lead	Pool Chemicals
Lead or Mercury-containing Paints	Cleaners & Polishes	Nail Polish & Remover
Oil Base Paint, Stains, Varnishes	Car Batteries	Artists Paint
Epoxy Catalysts or Hardeners	Rechargeable Household Batteries	Fire Extinguishers
Creosote	Propane Tanks (small)	Non-regulated Home Medical Waste

Materials That Will Not Be Accepted:

Unidentifiable Materials	Asbestos	Unlabeled Materials
Latex Paints	Explosives	Radioactive Materials-(such as Smoke Detectors)
Standard and alkaline household batteries	Non-Household Waste

What To Do With HHW: Generally, use it up or give it to someone who can use it if the material is uncontaminated and in its original container with all label information intact. The exceptions to reuse are lead or mercury-containing paints and banned pesticides such as DDT, Chlordane, Mirex, Aldrin, Endrin, Dieldrin, Heptachlor, Lindane, Kepone, Strychnine or 2,4,5,-T/Silvex. Take these materials to the HHW collection site. Call the above number if you have any questions about your HHW.

Take your HHW to a HHW collection site by placing the materials in a box. If any container is in poor condition or is leaking, place it in a sealed clear plastic bag before taking it in. Do not mix chemicals or transfer chemicals into other containers. Containers holding contaminated gasoline will not be returned. All containers must be labeled. Containers exceeding 5 gallons or 30 pounds will not be accepted.

Call 249-4108 and ask first if you are not sure of the acceptability of the material!

Non-Regulated Home Medical Waste: Includes insulin syringes, IV needles, lancets, etc. Seal in leak-proof and puncture-resistant containers, such as plastic milk containers, bleach, detergent, and 2-liter soda bottles (PETE plastic). Label as to the type of waste and volume disposed. Waste will be placed directly into the sharps barrel by the citizen.

Latex Paints: Saturday collections will not take latex paint. For useable latex paint use it up or give it to Marquette Wallpaper & Paint (228-8376) if it's in its original can, less than 3 years old and is in good condition (no rusty, frozen or hardened paint please).

Non-usable latex paint: Dry it and place in your trash. To dry the paint, pour it into a cardboard box with no holes and containing an absorbent such as crumpled newspaper, cat litter or sawdust. Stir. Keep the lid off the paint can. Let the box containing the paint and the paint can dry outside the house, away from children and animals. Once dry, the lidless paint can and the box can be placed in the garbage.

Batteries: Take your car battery back to the place where it was purchased. If that is not possible, place the car battery in a plastic-lined cardboard box and take it to the HHW collection site. We no longer collect standard and alkaline household batteries. Rechargeable and button batteries are accepted and should be counted and placed by type in a zip-locked plastic bag.

Motor Oil, Antifreeze, Transmission or Brake Fluid: Put each into its own clean, dry plastic jug (milk jug with screw top is good), seal it well, and label it! Containers with oil will be emptied and given back to you. Place oil filters in a sealed plastic bag. Take the materials to the HHW collection site. Please do not mix products! LIMIT OF 5 GALLONS OF OIL PER VISIT.

Gasoline: Use old gasoline, mixed with greater amounts of fresh gas, in an appropriate engine (no leaded gasoline in engines with a catalytic converter). Do not use gasoline as a solvent for cleaning tools or machinery. Not only is this practice very dangerous but it produces contaminated gasoline, which is difficult to dispose of. Take contaminated gasoline in a labeled container to the HHW collection site. Because of the dangers involved in pouring gasoline, your container will be placed, as is, into the collection drum.

Explosives, Picric Acid, Dried Ethers: Call the State Police at 475-9922.

Radioactive Materials: Ship smoke alarms containing radioactive materials back to the manufacturer (use UPS, not the U.S. mail service).

Asbestos: Airborne asbestos is a health hazard! Do not attempt to remove it without contacting the DEQ Air Quality Division at (906) 346-8300, the State Health Department - Environmental Health Division at (517) 335-8762 or an asbestos abatement contractor (see yellow pages of the phone book).

Any Business Wastes: Business waste is not collected on Saturdays. Contact MCSWMA for disposal options. Pesticides, Herbicides, and Elemental Mercury will be disposed of free of charge by appointment only.

Funding for this project has been provided by a grant from the Department of Natural Resources under the Protecting Michigan's Future Bond Program.


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