Richland Township residents will have a local opportunity to properly dispose of household hazardous wastes, through a waste collection event 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday Sept. 21, at Strayer Middle School, 1200 Ronald Reagan Drive.
The event, part of a community service program provided by the Bucks County Board of Commissioners, is not open to business, industry or institutions. It was announced at the Aug. 12 township board of supervisors meeting by supervisors chair Tim Arnold, who referred to an event flyer he posted on the township website, via Board Docs, Aug. 12 supervisors meeting agenda, item G2.
The flyer notes “household products containing toxic chemicals can be a threat to people and the environment if improperly discarded,” including “harming sanitation workers or result in fires in collection vehicles.” Residents are also cautioned against “pouring them into a sink or storm drain, as they can end up in the environment, polluting the air, water, or soil.”
For the special event, residents can bring up to 25 gallons or 220 pounds of hazardous products, which typically have cautionary label wording such as “danger, warning, or caution,” as well as “poisonous, hazardous, combustible, flammable, corrosive, volatile, caustic, irritant, explosive, toxic, use with adequate ventilation, or avoid inhaling.”
Products include pesticides, such as rodent poisons and common herbicides; flammables like gasoline, oil, and paint products; caustics such as cleaners and degreasers; fire extinguishers; various toxics like antifreeze, pool chemicals, and fluorescent bulbs; mini-propane tanks, 2 lbs. or less only; and lead acid, button, lithium, and rechargeable batteries.
But regular household alkaline batteries are specifically excluded, as are latex paint, asbestos, explosives/ammunition, gas cylinders, PCB’s, smoke detectors, radioactive waste, tires, medical waste, and unidentified waste.
Also excluded are prescription drugs, which can be dropped off instead during normal business hours at the township police department on California Road, or at special semi-annual collection events.
Electronics, including TVs, or appliances, including those with Freon, are not allowed either, but separate flyers for them are posted on the township website at the same location.
