Orcas Islanders can help protect our drinking water and the environment on April 25 by disposing hazardous waste materials in a special collection.
The San Juan County Public Works, Solid Waste Division sponsors this event, to be held at the Orcas Island Waste Disposal site. It warns against mixing hazardous materials with regular trash, or pouring it out on the ground or down drains and/or septic systems.
The public is asked to bring pesticides and other poisons, gasoline and other waste fuels, wood preservatives, oil paints and oil-based paints and stains,solvents, thinners, pool and photo chemicals, resins, mothballs, polishes, degreasers, cleaning products, spent Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) and fluorescent light tubes to the disposal site.
Materials that won’t be accepted are flares, explosives, ammunition, or radioactives. (Deliver these to the Sheriff’s Office on Mount Baker Road.)
Materials that can be recycled before the event at the island’s solid waste facility are antifreeze, motor oil and vehicle batteries.
Costs for disposal are as follows:
— A minimum fee of $8 will be charged for up to 120 lbs (15 gals); quantities over that will cost $.05/lb.
— $2 per gallon will be charged for latex paints brought to this collection. (Dry out latex paints or mix with sawdust or other absorbent for regular solid waste disposal.)
Do not bring children or pets to the collection.
Businesses must pre-register by calling 370-0503 and must pay their own disposal costs.
A grant from the WA Department of Ecology assists in this hazardous waste program.
Call 370-0503 for more information.
