Story provided by the City of Stillwater

The City of Stillwater’s Watershed Quality Department will have its bi-annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection event Saturday, Oct. 21, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Convenience Collection Center, 807 S. Perkins Road.

Chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides, pool chemicals, lawn care products, fuels, oil-based paints, craft or hobby supplies, and pharmaceuticals will be accepted free of charge for safe disposal. This event is intended for residents and a utility bill may be requested as proof of residency.

The Convenience Collection Center will still accept regular trash and recycling that day. However, trailers and commercial waste are not allowed. Yard waste will be accepted after 1 p.m.

Pesticides and herbicides are toxic to plants and animals and can kill birds, fish, and beneficial insects. It is important to dispose of them properly, Watershed Quality Specialist Chris Franks explained.

“They contaminate the soil and make their way through the city’s storm water or waste water systems to creeks, rivers and other bodies of water. Concerns about water pollution initially prompted the City to begin holding collection events for household hazardous waste in the late 1990s.”

E-waste will not be accepted without charge during this event. Consumer electronics are accepted at the Convenience Collection Center for fees ranging from $5-$25 per item. The City pays for proper disposal of e-waste because it contains heavy metals and dangerous substances like mercury, lead, and arsenic that can also wind up in the soil or water if discarded or sent to a landfill.

Items that cannot be accepted at all include mixed chemicals, alkaline batteries, smoke detectors, laboratory waste, commercial waste, agricultural/off-road tires, ammunition, explosives, and compressed gas cylinders.

Residents can find a full list of acceptable items for the Household Hazardous Waste Collection event at stillwaterok.gov/640/Household-Hazardous-Waste-Collection.