Collecting household hazards

MEXICO -- A lot of household hazardous materials were collected for disposal Saturday morning.

The collection, held at the Region 9 School of Applied Technology on Route 2, was made possible by a grant secured by the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition.

Patricia Duguay of RVHCC noted that they collected 58 units, a unit being five gallons or 20 pounds. "We collected a lot of pesticides today."

She said the amount collected was down from last year's total of 80 units. Duguay didn't know why that was, other than there were a good number of barns being cleaned or people inheriting places to do the same.

There will be another collection in Bethel in the fall. Items are collected from 9 a.m. to noon on the first and third Saturdays of the month in Lewiston. For more information, call Duguay at 364-7408.

Examples of hazardous materials that will be accepted include cleaners, solvents, chemical lawn fertilizers, weed and insect killers, swimming pool chemicals, driveway sealers, rat poison, moth balls and rechargeable batteries.

If in doubt about what is considered hazardous, look for words on the product label that say poison, danger, corrosive, toxic, volatile, flammable, caution or warning. Latex paint will not be accepted because it is water based and is not hazardous.

Materials brought to the collection site should be in the original, securely closed container, if at all possible.

If the container is leaking, it should be placed in a bucket. Chemicals should never be mixed and people should not smoke or eat while handling or transporting hazardous materials.

Private businesses are excluded from the collection.

Hazard collect Photo:

Bob Daigle is interviewed by Patricia Duguay of the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition after he brought items for Saturday's household hazardous materials collection day. Collections were down a bit from last year's event. (Times photo by Bruce Farrin)