This Saturday, May 7, is the day for people across Kenosha County to safely dispose of unneeded household chemicals, electronics and refrigerants.
The Kenosha County Household Hazardous Waste Collection event will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the County Center, at highways 45 and 50 in Bristol.
This event is open to anyone who lives in Kenosha County. There is no charge to dispose of accepted items.
“This is a great opportunity to get those items out of your home that might otherwise be difficult to dispose of in a safe, environmentally friendly way,” said Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman. “Kenosha County and our partners at Waste Management are pleased to offer this annual opportunity to our residents.”
Accepted household hazardous waste items include: Household cleaners, aerosol cans, bug sprays, vehicle maintenance related fluids, oil-based paints, paint removal products, fluorescent bulbs, pool chemicals and garden/outdoor related products.
E-waste items that may be dropped off include: Computers, laptops, fax machines, keyboards, mice, stereos, scanners, TVs, VCRs, DVD/CD/MP3 players, printers, phones, copiers, power tools, toner cartridges and electronic toys. Lead acid batteries, which include vehicle and power tool batteries, will also be accepted.
Accepted refrigerant waste items include: Refrigerators, water coolers, freezers, air conditioners, water heaters, dehumidifiers, microwaves and other household appliances.
The following items will not be accepted: Latex paint, tires, infectious or biological waste, propane cylinders, explosives, radioactive waste, medical and pharmaceutical waste and commercial or business waste.
Latex paint is not considered to be a hazardous material. It may be disposed of with regular garbage by putting kitty litter in a box, spreading the paint over the litter and allowing it to dry. If latex paint cans are empty or the paint is completely dry in the can, it may also be disposed of with regular garbage.
Because of the popularity of the collection events, there are sometimes long lines to drop off items.
As an alternative, City of Kenosha residents are encouraged to consider using the city’s hazardous waste and e-waste disposal programs. For more information, please visit https://www.kenosha.org/departments/water-utility/household-hazardous-waste-program.
Diaper drive also a part of this year’s event:
New this year, Waste Management and 1HOPE are partnering to offer a diaper drive to benefit foster families in the community as part of the Household Hazardous Waste Collection event.
People are encouraged to bring donations of unopened packages of disposable diapers and wipes.
A diaper drive collection area will be staged separate from the hazardous waste collection area, accessible from the Highway 45 entrance to the County Center.
The diapers and wipes will benefit 1HOPE’s Foster Family Support Network, which aims to provides wrap-around care for foster families through a team of compassionate volunteers.
More information about 1HOPE is available at https://1hope.community.