Hazardous waste day helps keep county clean

Lafayette — Residents took advantage of the Sussex County Municipal Utility Authority’s hazardous household waste disposal day Saturday and dropped off 40,000 pounds of material. “We have a good steady flow of customers,” said Vernon Lee of Care Environmental Corp. “They are dropping off the usual pesticides, base liquids [ammonia products] and oxidizers [chlorine products].” Over the first three hours more than 300 residents took advantage of the event. Reenee Casapulla, Recycling Coordinator for the authority, was happy with the turnout. “Even though these are small quantities of waste, these types of waste: pesticides, solvents and other chemicals, have a big impact on the environment,” she said. SCMUA has been offering the household hazardous waste program since 1987, bringing in approximately 40 tons of hazardous materials every year. “Having regularly scheduled haz waste collection programs can hopefully discourage residents from improperly disposing of household hazardous wastes, such as pouring them down a drain, onto the ground, into storm sewers and septic systems,” said Casapulla.

By the numbers
660 customers
40,000 lbs. collected