Limestone County residents will finally have a chance to clear their old paint, automotive fluids, cleaners and other hazardous household waste from their homes next week at the waste collection event held by Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful.

Set for 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 29, KALB’s Hazardous Household Waste Collection event is the first of its kind for Limestone County in 12 years. In that time, residents have either had to store the hazardous waste in garages, sheds or other household spaces, or risk damaging the environment and wildlife by disposing of it in unsafe ways.

“I have been with this organization for seven and a half years, and we always get calls” from residents asking how to get rid of their old paint or chemicals, KALB Executive Coordinator Leigh Patterson said. “The answer was always, ‘We don’t have a way to dispose of that in Limestone County. You’re going to have to hold on to it if you can.'”

Patterson said the response was overwhelmingly positive when the event was first announced. It was supposed to take place in March but had to be postponed until August due to the coronavirus pandemic. She said to protect volunteers and eventgoers, they’ve set up a contactless dropoff system.

Residents can pull into the Athens Middle School parking lot, where they will be directed into the collection line. Volunteers will remove the waste items from their car without the resident ever having to leave their seat, then the resident can continue on their way.

Patterson encouraged residents to bring waste in its original container. If the container is damaged, she advised residents to put the container in a box that has been lined with two garbage bags or in a second container with a lid. Leaking containers can be stored with cat litter, saw dust or similar absorbent materials for transport.

The following items will be accepted during the event:

• Paint and related products (oil or water-based paints, mineral spirits, turpentine and thinners, furniture strippers, paint removers, stains, aerosols);

• Automotive products (transmission fluid, brake fluid, antifreeze — motor oil should be taken to the Athens-Limestone Recycling Center on Lucas Ferry Road);

• Household cleaners (oven cleaners, toilet cleaners, disinfectants, drain cleaners, rug and upholstery cleaners, floor and furniture polishes, ammonia- or bleach-based products); and

• Household chemicals (acids, pool chemicals, solvents, mercury thermometers, thermostats, fluorescent lights).

Materials not accepted include explosives, radioactive or biological waste, medical waste and medications. Anyone with questions about whether an item will be accepted can call KALB at 256-233-8000 for more information.

2nd event in the works

Though this particular collection event is still a week away, KALB is already hoping to host a second one next year. The Limestone County Solid Waste Authority and Limestone County Commission sponsored this year’s event, and KALB has requested they fund an event in 2021, too.

“We want to keep those types of items out of the regular garbage, because they can gum up the sanitation truck, they can be hazardous to the sanitation workers, and if the chemicals mix, they can be unstable,” Patterson said. “Those things in garbage trucks can be a real issue.”

In addition, hazardous household waste poses a serious danger to the environment, from the groundwater to plants to local wildlife. As Limestone County’s population grows, so do the number of families looking to decorate their new home, work on a car in the garage or deep-clean their house — just a few of the many things that can lead to leftover cleaners, paint and automotive products.

“We don’t want people dumping outside or burning these types of things,” she said. “Anything that can harm the environment is something we want to avoid.”

She said they hope to make the event an annual occurrence, but that will depend on funding. Residents can visit KALBcares.com to learn more about hazardous household waste collection and support other cleanup efforts by the organization.