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EPA, Corps and Commonwealth Sponsor Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days

Release Date: 11/06/1998
Contact Information:

(#98152) San Juan, Puerto Rico -- Hurricane George may be long gone, but many Puerto Rico residents are still cleaning out their homes and properties. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Puerto Rico Solid Waste Management Authority, the Environmental Quality Board and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are helping residents' cleanup efforts across the Island by sponsoring a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Week during the week of November 9. Each day, except November 11, which is a federal holiday, household wastes will be collected from 9:00am to 5:00pm at 10 regional locations.

"Many of the products we have in and around our homes can be dangerous if they are not properly packaged, and flood damage can often destroy packaging," said Jeanne M. Fox, EPA Regional Administrator. "Next week, we are giving residents of Puerto Rico a chance to get rid of damaged goods which can be hazardous if left in their homes."

Household hazardous wastes are damaged goods including pesticides such as rat poison, weed killers and roach sprays; flammable items such as paint, paint thinner and charcoal fluid; cleaning products such as bathroom and kitchen cleaners, bleach, ammonia, drain cleaners and oven cleaners; car care products such as antifreeze, gas additives, transmission fluid, and polishes; and miscellaneous products such as rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, photo processing chemicals and wood preservatives. If improperly disposed of, these wastes are tossed in landfills not designed for hazardous wastes. Ultimately, hazardous wastes in unprotected landfills can contribute to the contamination of ground water and surface water that is used as a source of drinking water. These hazardous materials are usually associated with warning labels that indicate: "Danger," "Poison," "Flammable," "Toxic," "Hazardous" or "Keep Out of Reach of Children."

The collection centers will not accept explosive or radioactive material, medical or biological wastes, waste not common to a household or containers greater than five gallons.

The collection centers' locations are:

Arecibo -- Centro de Acopio (al lado Antigua Unidad de Salud Publica)

Bayamon -- Barrio Juan Sanchez frente al Edificio Proteccion Ambiental

Caguas -- Centro de Reciclaje. Carr. #1. Estacion de Trasbordo

Carolina -- Carr. 887. Km. 1.2. Frente de Control Ambiental

Fajardo -- Antiguo CDT, Ave. General Valcro #392

Guayama -- Cancha Roque Nido

Guaynabo -- Urb. Jardines, Centro de Reciclaje (detras de Western Auto)

Mayaguez -- Palacio de Recreacion y Deportes. Centro de Reciclaje

Ponce -- Plaza del Caribe. Centro de Reciclaje

San Juan -- Parque Central. Centro de Reciclaje

For more information, call 1-800-981-7324 ext. 2337 or 787- 729-6951 ext. 262.

For more information contact:
Mary Mears, Press Office
EPA Region 2
290 Broadway
NY, NY 10007-1866
Voice: 212-637-3669 FAX: 212-637-5046 E-Mail: [email protected]