Hazardous waste collections July and August

There are many toxic materials which exist right inside many Lakes Region homes. These toxic materials are known as “hazardous wastes” which are substances that poison or contaminate the environment and threaten the health of those in the local community. They may be flammable, corrosive, or reactive, and should be disposed of properly so as not to harm people or damage the region’s soil and water resources.

Look under your kitchen or bathroom sink, at the basement workbench, in the garage or garden shed — wherever you store cleaning products, home and vehicle maintenance items, or garden chemicals. If a product label says “danger,” “warning,” “poison,” or “caution,” the product contains ingredients that are flammable, poisonous, will burn the skin and eyes, or react violently with other chemicals. These items, if disposed of improperly, are a very real threat to the health of the community, and the natural ecosystem. Municipal treatment plants and leachfields are incapable of processing these chemicals. In other words, these chemicals can remain in the water supply. Even the chemicals you use daily around your home, can easily reach the local water system as the chemicals are used and washed down the drain. Landfill disposal poses similar risks, and the result is the eventual contamination of our groundwater, upon which our environment and economy are dependent.

On Saturday, July 30 and Saturday, August 6, twenty-four communities will participate in one of the longest running and most successful household hazardous waste collection programs in New England. Four collection sites will be open each day from 8:30 a.m. to noon (Belmont, Franklin, Gilford, and Meredith on July 30 and Bristol, Laconia, Moultonborough, and Ossipee on Aug. 6). Residents and residential property owners in the 24 participating communities may bring up to 10 gallons or 50 pounds of household hazardous products in for safe disposal. The participating communities for the collection are: Alexandria, Andover, Belmont, Bridgewater, Bristol, Center Harbor, Effingham, Franklin, Freedom, Gilford, Gilmanton, Hebron, Hill, Holderness, Laconia, Meredith, Moultonborough, New Hampton, Ossipee, Sanbornton, Sandwich, Tamworth, Tilton and Tuftonboro.

It is never too early to start gathering waste for the collection; when opening a summer camp, preparing to move to a new house, or just cleaning out the garage. This is a small but important step that everyone can do for their families and their community to prevent contamination of water, our most valuable resource.

Information on collection sites and accepted materials can be found at http://www.lakesrpc.org/services_hhw.asp or by calling LRPC at 279-8171.