Get rid of your household toxics and help keep Oakley greenGet rid of your household toxics and help keep Oakley greenFebruary 27, 2004
Most people never stop to think about what they put in their garbage cans. If it's garbage it goes in. Oh, there are people who think about the environment and recycling their aluminum cans, plastic detergent bottles and even newspapers, but when it comes to hazardous toxics many believe they don't have any in their homes so they don't think twice.
Well, they should. According to the Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility in Antioch, items such as drain openers, grease and rust solvents, household batteries and even nail polish removers cans may be highly combustible if mixed together in the garbage.
That is why Ironhouse Sanitary District, the city of Oakley and the Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility are offering a special free household toxics drop off. The one-day event will take place Saturday at the DuPont site located at 6000 Bridgehead Road.
How can you decide what is hazardous toxic waste and what isn't? It's not as easy as looking on a bottle, unfortunately. I looked at some of the things in my cabinet that are on the list of things to take to this drop-off site and nowhere did it say you shouldn't throw this in the garbage can for disposal. So it may be difficult to tell what to take. I guess the old adage of when in doubt should work here.
Ironhouse says that you should bring in items such as antifreeze, drain openers, gasoline, high intensity lamps, paint thinners and strippers, used oil filters, wood and metal cleaners.
Not everybody knows that you shouldn't throw paint in the garbage. That is evident because on Neroly Road there have been a half dozen cans of paint rusting bythe side of the road for the past year. For those who have old indoor and outdoor house paint in their garage this may be a good time to take care of getting rid of it and making some room on the shelves for other things.
There are some items that you cannot bring by the DuPont parking lot tomorrow and that list includes used appliances, TVs and computer monitors. Those items are accepted at the Contra Costa Waste Recycling Center and Transfer Station in Antioch. The drop-off site also won't take asbestos. That has to go to the Altamont Landfill in Livermore, as do railroad ties or treated wood. They can't take compressed gas cylinders except for propane tanks, which they will accept. Tires also are not allowed.
Now I'm a little worried about anyone who would have infectious or biologically active materials, radioactive devices, explosives, shock-sensitive materials or ammunition they want to get rid of. If that's you, don't bring it tomorrow. Contact the county health department or local law enforcement agencies for those items.
Nancy Kaiser at the city of Oakley says that when you transport your waste be sure not to mix materials. Keep them in their original containers and pack everything in a sturdy box or carton with newspaper. Individuals can transport a maximum of 15 gallons or 125 pounds.
For more information on the drop-off, residents can call the city at 625-7000 or Ironhouse Sanitary District at 625-2279.
Roni Gehlke's column on life in Oakley appears each week in the Brentwood News.
Distributed by the Contra Costa Times