Annual spring household hazardous waste collection moves to a weekday

CENTREVILLE – The popularity of a twice-a-year event that started in 2006 has never failed to disappoint organizers of St. Joseph County’s collection of household hazardous waste and recycling of electronics.

Strong turnouts at both the spring and fall collections have been a mainstay, according to Pat Kulikowski, secretary of the St. Joseph County Solid Waste Committee.

Forced to shift from a weekend collection to a weekday for this spring’s production, however, could challenge the level of participation, Kulikowski said. The spring 2023 collection takes place 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 3. It will be the first time the event has not occurred on a Saturday.

She said instead of working with Allegan County-based Plainwell Drug and Lab, the Solid Waste Committee will partner with a different company to collect household hazardous waste, old and expired medications, and difficult-to-dispose-of items such as batteries, light bulbs and fluorescent lights.

“We’re working this time with a company that’s new to us and they, unfortunately, don’t have enough staff to work Saturdays,” she said. “So, a weekday will be something new in the history of the collection and we hope people still show up.”

Kulikowski said the four-hour window of next week’s collection should accommodate the schedule around work hours for first- and second-shift employees.

As always, the collection will allow residents to dispose of household hazardous waste such as pool chemicals, old gas, pesticides, oil-based paints and pharmaceutical needles.

Electronics accepted include personal and laptop computers, telephones, televisions, game systems, printers, DVD and VCR players, scanners, and cables and wires. Up to two TVs per family can be dropped off at no charge. A fee of $10 will be applied for every subsequent TV.

Thanks to a grant from Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, up to 10 tires per person can be dropped of at no charge. Passenger tires beyond that amount are $2 each, semi tires $5 each and tractor tires $25 apiece.

Collection of latex paint has returned and is $3 per can, regardless of how much or how little paint is in each can.

CMS Green will be on hand to accept cardboard, newspaper, magazines, phone books and junk mail.

In addition, Kulikowski said she is happy to announce appliance recycling will return. The collection is an opportunity for people to get rid of scrap metal, refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers and window air conditioners.

The spring collection last year netted 1,280 tires, about 25,000 pounds of televisions and monitors, and approximately 40,000 pounds of electronics overall.

In addition, about 8,000 pounds of household hazardous waste was dropped off during last spring’s collection. Kulikowski said a semi trailer was about three-quarters full of paper and cardboard.

Questions about next week’s event can be directed to 467-5533.

The fall 2023 collection will be Oct. 28, returning to a Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Annual spring household hazardous waste collection moves to a weekday