Press release:
At last month's meeting of the GLOW Region Solid Waste Management Committee, Peggy Grayson, recycling administrator, presented the Final Report for the 2016 Household Hazardous/Pharmaceutical Waste Collection.
The annual collection was held Sept. 17 at the Genesee County Highway Department in Batavia. More than 600 residents made appointments and 527 attended.
At the collection GLOW accepted, as it has in the past, a wide range of household chemicals, oil base paint (10,909 lbs.), pesticides and insecticides (5,433 lbs.), aerosol cans (1,799 lbs.), resins and adhesives (1,823 lbs.), fluorescent bulbs and tubes (934 lbs.), electronics (32,258lbs.) propane tanks and canisters, vehicle batteries, pharmaceuticals (360 lbs. with packaging) and other materials.
Once again GLOW used its system of appointments and scheduled up to 30 residents for each 15-minute interval. As a result few people waited more than 15 minutes and many were able to drive right in, be unloaded and out without waiting at all. On exit surveys residents overwhelmingly gave the program a top rating of 5. Most residents want to see the program held annually, if not more frequently.
The total cost of the program was $35,377. Of that amount $29,905 was for disposal of materials and $5,472 was for advertising, supplies, printing, postage and miscellaneous. Materials were accepted no charge except for tires. Funding is provided by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) grant and GLOW’s County contributions. Ed Arnold Recycling accepted propane tanks and canisters and vehicle batteries at no charge and Covanta Energy incinerated, as required by law, medications at no charge.
GLOW is in the planning stages for a mid-September 2017 collection in Livingston County. Residents wishing to be notified by post card when appointments are being accepted can contact the GLOW office.
For additional information or a copy of the final report residents may call the GLOW office at 585/815-7906 or 800/836-1154, or email glow@co.genesee.ny.us
