Appointments will be required for 2019 program season
Saginaw, MI —– Over the last three years, Mid Michigan Waste Authority’s Household Special Waste Program has become so popular, it has helped keep nearly 640 tons of hazardous and problem wastes out of the landfill. In order to continue meeting the needs of its member communities, in 2019 the program for the safe disposal of hazardous waste, paint, and electronics, is moving to an appointment-based format.
“It has always been our goal to offer residents a safe, accessible, and efficient drop-off experience, and that can be a challenge when we don’t know how many cars to expect or how much they will be dropping off,” said MMWA Administrative Director Katharine Tessin. “By scheduling appointments in advance, it will also allow us to know exactly what materials people are bringing us, so there are no surprises on the day of the event. When you are working with hazardous materials, that knowledge is critical to the safety of our residents and the workers at the event.”
Residents can make an appointment by contacting MMWA at 989-781-9555 Monday through Friday from 8:30 am through 5:00 pm.
Another change to this year’s schedule is that MMWA will no longer hold separate drop-off days for paint, electronics, and hazardous waste. Instead, there are eight All-in-One events, when residents can bring all of those items, plus eyeglasses and eyeglass cases. There are also two separate days for document shredding and polystyrene foam recycling.
The “all in one” combo days for electronics, paint, and hazardous waste, will be held on Saturday, May 11 from 9 am to 1 pm, Wednesday, May 22 from 2 pm to 6 pm, Saturday, June 8 from 9 am to 1 pm, Saturday, July 13 from 9 am to 1 pm, Tuesday, July 23 from 2 pm to 6 pm, Saturday, August 24 from 9 am to 1 pm, Thursday, September 12 from 2 pm to 6 pm, and Saturday, September 28 from 9 am to 1 pm. At these events, residents may bring the following items:
- All types of television and computer-related electronics, including: televisions, computers, printers, monitors, laptops, keyboards, phones, scanners, cables and cords, hard drives, mice, tablets, fax machines, printers and miscellaneous computer parts;
- Paint including latex, acrylic and oil-based paint, spray paint, stain, varnish and caulk;
- Hazardous waste materials like motor oil, gasoline, antifreeze, mercury, wiper fluid, kerosene, acids, aerosols, fluorescent bulbs, lawn and garden chemicals, glues and adhesives, pool chemicals, hobby chemicals, lead acid batteries, miscellaneous cleaners, degreasers, metal cleaners, and smoke detectors;
- Used eyeglasses and eyeglass cases that will be donated to the Lions Club Recycle for Sight program, which provides glasses to people in need.
On Wednesday, June 12 from 2 pm to 6 pm and Tuesday, September 17 from 2 pm to 6 pm, residents may bring their confidential paperwork for secure on-site shredding – each person may bring two boxes of documents. At the shredding events, avid recyclers may also drop off their clean foam products for recycling. Accepted items include cups, takeout containers, egg cartons, block packaging, ice chests/coolers, and other #6 foam items. Packing peanuts, food-soiled foam products and non-polystyrene foam items cannot be accepted.
Residents must make an appointment by contacting MMWA at 989-781-9555 Monday through Friday from 8:30 am through 5:00 pm. As our program has grown in popularity, MMWA is taking this step of requiring a drop off appointment to help safeguard our residents and event staff. An MMWA representative will assist you in scheduling your appointment and reviewing some safety protocols. Unscheduled drop-offs cannot be accommodated.
There is no charge for disposal of any approved items, including CRT (cathode ray tube) televisions and computer monitors. Donations to help defray the cost of future events will be accepted.
The residential problem waste program is offered at no charge to residents of Saginaw County, Bethany Twp, Village of Breckenridge and Wheeler Twp. All events will be held at MMWA’s Community Resource Recovery Center, 2063 S Miller Rd, Saginaw, located at the southeast corner of Miller and Ederer Roads in James Twp.
Residents may opt to dispose of latex paint in their curbside trash, as long as the paint has solidified. If the paint can is less than ¼ full, remove the lid and place the can in a safe, well-ventilated area. For fuller cans, add cat litter or shredded paper to solidify the paint. Once the paint has hardened, lids should be removed and the cans placed next to the regular household trash so the driver knows the paint is not wet. This process does not work on oil-based paints, which must be brought to a paint collection day for proper disposal.
Unknown chemicals or substances should not be brought to any drop-off events. Residents who possess those items should contact MMWA to make special drop-off arrangements.
For safe preparation and transport of problem wastes in your vehicle, please follow these guidelines: Keep chemical products in original containers whenever possible. Do not mix products together. Be sure all containers are tightly sealed, and placed in sturdy boxes in an upright position. Never transport leaking or open containers. Containers up to five-gallon in size are allowed, but containers cannot be returned. Business, farm, and school wastes, explosives, propane tanks, ammunition, tires, CRT tubes that have been removed from televisions or computers, and asbestos are not accepted.
For more information, call MMWA at (989) 781-9555 or visit www.recyclemotion.org.