Hazardous Waste Collection Day

Saturday is Household Hazardous Waste Collection day for Oconee County. This event is held by Oconee County and Local Emergency Planning Commission. The collection will take place in the parking lot of Seneca High School from 10 am to 2 PM Saturday. You must be a resident of Oconee County to participate in the Waste Collection Day and proof of residency will be required when you arrive at the collection location. Goodwill Industries will be working with Oconee County Solid Waste to collect unwanted electronics. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office will be collecting unused prescriptions as well but residents are asked to mark out any personal information, which includes names and prescription numbers. The Sheriff’s Office will also be collecting unused prescriptions at the Law Enforcement in Walhalla this Saturday as well from 10am until 2pm. The Sheriff’s Office is located at 300 South Church Street. Items collected during the event are those items which are not normally accepted at the county’s convenience center. Donation sheets for tax purposes will also be available for residents who need them.

Items that will be collected during the Collection Day include the following:
• Aerosol Products, Auto Batteries, Rechargeable Batteries, Bug Spray, Button and Alkaline Batteries, Carburetor Cleaner, Charcoal Lighter Fluid, Concrete Cleaner, Degreaser, Drain Cleaner, Driveway Sealer, Fertilizer with Weed Killer, Florescent Lights, Fuels/Gasoline, Furniture Stripper, Glue with Solvents, Insect Killer, Mothballs, Nail Polish, Oil Filters, Oven Cleaner, Paint Remover, Paint Thinner, Polish with Solvents, Pool Chemicals, Propane Cylinders – Small, Roach/Ant Killer, Rodent Bait, Smoke Detectors, Stain/Varnish, Thermometers (mercury), Used Antifreeze, Used Motor Oil.
Also, clothing, shoes, and small household items will be accepted as well.

Items that will not be accepted during the Collection Day include the following:
• Agricultural Waste, Biological Waste, Business Waste, Compressed Gases in large commercial containers, Construction Waste, Explosives – including small arms ammunition, Latex Paint, Oil Based Paint, Pathological Waste, Radioactive Waste, Unknown Materials, 55 Gallon Drums – regardless of content.

Dried paint can be placed in the garbage. To dry paint, add sand, shredded newspaper or cat litter to cans and wait until it completely dries. Dispose of the paint in your household garbage.

The Local Emergency Planning Commission is a partnership of business, governmental, and public safety agencies that meet once every quarter and hosts events, such as the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day. It meets to help better plan for events and contingencies, such as a chemical emergency response and preparedness plan, and to build better understanding between all the agencies involved and to understand what resources are available.