Hazardous Waste Facility Still Set For Fall Completion

Putnam County residents will soon have more options for household hazardous waste disposal.

Mayor Randy Porter said construction crews continue to make progress on a new hazardous waste facility.

“The construction is going well. We’ve had some good weather lately for the contractor to be able to work,” Porter said. “I’ve talked to him in just the last few days. They expect the building to be finished sometime in the latter part of October or November. Everything is going good right now.”

The county chose to build the facility at the City of Cookeville’s brush site on West Jackson Street. Porter said the county also plans to construct a new convenience site at the same location.

“We are ready, probably in the next week, to put out that bid and start that process,” Porter said. “We were waiting for the household hazardous waste facility to get going before we wanted to start with that project. It’s mostly dirt work to create the site to put the canisters in for the garbage, so it won’t be a very long term project. We hope to have it finished before winter also.”

Porter said the new household hazardous waste facility gives residents more opportunities to get rid of dangerous chemicals and other products.

“We were having to set up once a year at the fairgrounds for folks to be able to drop it off,” Porter said. “Storing paint and hazardous chemicals at your home is not good. This will allow them to drop that stuff off at the site at any time and not have to keep it at their homes.”

The county received a $480,000 non-matching state grant to construct the new facility.