Photo by Jon Anderson.
Brian Potter, vice president of operations for MXI Environmental, unloads some paint brought to the city of Hoover’s 2018 Household Hazardous Waste Day in the parking lot at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex.
It’s time for spring cleaning again, and the city of Hoover is gearing up for its 21st annual Household Hazardous Waste Day.
The event, scheduled for April 13 in the parking lot at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, gives people a chance to properly dispose of hazardous household items that shouldn’t go in the garbage or landfill.
Examples of items accepted include leftover wet paint, automotive fluids, household cleaners, pesticides, batteries, standard-size tires, electronics, medication, guns and ammunition.
Hoover residents can bring their hazardous items to the stadium parking lot between 8 a.m. and noon, but they must be prepared to show a valid driver’s license or photo ID with a Hoover address because the event is open only to city residents. Items will not be accepted from businesses, said Robin Mangino, the administrative services supervisor for the Hoover Public Works and Park Maintenance Department.
Last year, about 1,500 Hoover residents brought items to dispose, Mangino said.
That included enough paint and paint-related materials to fill 160 3-yard boxes and 19 pallets, city records show. Workers also collected 76 55-gallon drums of pesticides, nine 55-gallon drums of flammable liquids and solids, eight 55-gallon drums of antifreeze, nine 55-gallon drums and six 5-gallon containers of household batteries and 70 55-gallon drums of other hazardous materials.
Residents also brought about 330 gallons of used motor oil, about 800 gallons of used cooking oil, 178 tires, about 200 car batteries, six boxes of aerosols, 37 fire extinguishers, 396 1-pound propane tanks, 32 20-pound propane tanks, 1,250 compact bulbs and 1,140 fluorescent bulbs, records indicate.
Hoover police last year reported they collected seven rifles, about nine pistols, about 60 pounds of ammunition, a bag of fireworks and even an M-18 military smoke grenade. Police also will collect edged weapons and military ordnance and souvenirs.
The Foundry Rescue and Recovery Center is supposed to be present again, collecting equipment such as TV sets, computer hard drives, keyboards, monitors, computer mice, radios, stereos, telephones, power cables and wiring. The Foundry last year took in about three truckloads and will refurbish and resell usable items and recycle the rest, Mangino said.
The city also collected about 40 U.S. flags for proper disposal by the Boy Scouts of America and American Legion.
MXI Environmental Services is the company hired to dispose of most materials, but B&B Tires will take the tires, Mangino said.
ACCEPTED, PROHIBITED HAZARDOUS WASTE ITEMS
ITEMS ACCEPTED:
► Aerosol spray cans (with contents)
► Automotive fluids (motor oil, antifreeze, gas and/or mixed gas)
► Batteries (automotive and alkaline)
► Caulk/glue
► Chemical drain cleaners
► Fluorescent light bulbs
► Household cleaners (bleach, oven cleaners, metal cleaners, polishes and toilet cleaners)
► Oil and latex paint, aerosol paint, paint thinners/strippers/removers (Please note that empty latex paint containers and hardened solid paint are safe to put in the regular garbage. People can bring the liquid to a solid by mixing the paint with cat litter, sand or sawdust. Please remove the paint can lid before putting in your trash bin.)
► Pesticides and herbicides
► Polish (auto and furniture)
► Preservatives
► Solvents
► Stains/varnish
► Standard vehicle tires (No commercial or heavy equipment tires will be accepted.)
► Used cooking oil
► Prescription and non-prescription medication
► Fireworks/pyrotechnics/flares
► Gunpowder
► Military ordnance/relics/souvenirs
► Ammunition
► Explosives/explosive materials
► Reloading supplies
► Firearms
► Edged weapons
► Computer monitors, keyboards, mice, cables
► Power supplies
► TV sets
► Radios/stereos
► Telephones
► Sealed medical waste containers
ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED:
► Refrigerators/freezers
► Stoves/microwaves
► Toasters/toaster ovens
► Coffee makers
► Lawn equipment (weed trimmers, mowers)
► Radioactive material of any kind
► Asbestos
► PCB
► Air conditioners
► Medical waste
► Unidentified materials and containers
