GRANT AWARDED FOR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION EVENT

 HARRISBURG, JULY 13 – Montgomery County was awarded a $94,718 grant to help fund household hazardous waste collection events, announced state Sen. Connie Williams. The next event is planned for July 16^th at Methacon High School.

 The grant reimburses the county for half of the costs for developing and operating the events.

 “Motor oil, old cans of paint, pesticides, drain cleaners, degreasers and even computers are considered hazardous household waste,” Williams said. “Throwing any of these items in the regular trash can create environmental and public health hazards, but what can you do with the them? Thanks to Montgomery County and others, people can collect household hazardous waste items and bring them to a collection event in their area.”

 For those unable to access a HHW collection, the department suggests buying the least toxic item to do the job and buying only the minimum amounts necessary, so there is less waste. Some other suggestions include: checking with others to see if they can use any leftover materials; returning old automotive batteries to sellers (in Pennsylvania, dealers are required to take old batteries when a new one is purchased); and taking used motor oil to a used oil collection site.

 For more information about disposing of hazardous household waste and scheduled collections, people may visit DEP’s Web site at www.dep.state.pa.us, or call the PA HHW hotline at 1-800-346-4242.

 Other events scheduled from July through October in Montgomery and Delaware counties are as follows:

• July 16 – HHW and computers – Methacon High School, 1001 Kriebel Mill Rd.

• Aug. 20 – HHW and computers – Temple University, Ambler Campus

• Sept. 17 – HHW only – American Ref-Fuel, 10 Highland Ave., Chester

• Sept. 30 – HHW and computers – Rose Tree Park, Media

• Oct. 22 – HHW and computers – Lower Merion Township Transfer Station.