Hazardous Waste At Home.

"Hazardous waste." The term conjures up images of large corporate indiscretions, of names like Love Canal and Erin Brockovich. Yet it’s likely that toxic products exist in almost every Ridgefield home and that many are disposed of improperly -thrown in the trash, flushed down drains, or dumped outside. Household hazardous wastes include products such as drain and oven cleaners, rust removers, pesticides, weed killers, rodent bait, antifreeze, kerosene, butane, oil based paints, paint thinners and solvents.  Improper disposal can endanger sanitation workers and wildlife, contaminate septic and sewer systems, and pollute our waterways.

You may be thinking that the quart of turpentine you dump in the woods behind your house is no big deal. But multiply that by the 9100 households in Ridgefield and there’s 2,275 gallons of toxic waste seeping into the groundwater that ultimately winds up in the Norwalk River.

So, how can you dispose of household hazardous wastes responsibly?  Take advantage of Household Hazardous Waste Days, offered at no charge to Ridgefield residents twice a year. One is coming up on May 21^st at the Public Works Facility in Newtown (4 Turkey Hill Road) from 9 am – 2 pm. The other is offered September 24^th in Danbury.  As a member of the Housatonic Resource Recovery Authority (HRRA), Ridgefield shares the costs of these collection events with other member towns.  The sites are chosen for their central and suitably sized locations.

You’ve still got time to rummage through the basement and attic for that old can of varnish, the expired rat poison, and Suzie’s childhood chemistry set. Why not work out a deal with your neighbors?  You take their stuff on May 21st and they make the trip in September. For a complete list of items accepted at Household Hazardous Waste Day, see the HRRA website at http://hrra.org/hhw_what_to_bring.php.