News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cumberland County has cancelled its Hazardous Waste Collection Day over COVID-19 concerns.
The state was set to come in and help collect things that Cumberland County solid waste cannot usually accept. Cumberland County Solid Waste Director Conrad Welch said people will have to hold on to some of those items in the meantime.
“Maybe some kind of cleaners, chemicals that they don’t even know what’s in the jars,” Welch said. “Lead, mercury, those type of things they took at that, we can’t handle those at our centers, so those are some of the things they’ll just have to hold to another year.”
Welch said the county will get a new hazardous waste collection date for 2021 in December. Residents can still drop off things like anti-freeze, batteries, metal and dried latex paints at convenience centers. However, Welch said these organized collections help with getting hazardous materials off the Cumberland County site.
“You’re only allowed to have so many pounds or gallons of certain items before you’re considered a hazardous waste site,” Welch said. “We have to watch what we get, how many we have and we have to ship those off.”
Welch said last year’s collection day drew more than 400 households. Residents are still urged to contact Cumberland County Solid waste about how to properly dispose of materials.
