The Manitowoc County Department of Public Works and Manitowoc County Recycling Center would like to thank all the participants of the 2014 Hazardous Waste Clean Sweep. This year the collection had 447 households, 15 farms and 13 businesses participate and collected a total of 31,489 pounds of hazardous waste. Households turned in 24,764 pounds of hazardous chemicals. Farms turned in 2,147 pounds. Most of the items turned in were old paints and pesticides, though a significant amount of solvents and corrosive substances were also dropped off.
The business portion of Clean Sweep served 13 local businesses who qualified as “Very Small Quantity Generators” under the program. These businesses brought in 4,578 pounds of hazardous waste. Businesses are offered a substantial discount when they bring their materials to the Clean Sweep event. This year it is estimated that the total savings to participating businesses was $9,435.
The Manitowoc County Hazardous Waste Clean Sweep started in 1985. Since it began, households and farms have turned in approximately 889,117 pounds of material. All of the collected items are properly recycled, neutralized or disposed of at special disposal sites or hazardous waste incinerators that render the materials harmless.
Many cleansers, home improvement products, automotive products and pesticides can be dangerous when stored or disposed of improperly. They can contaminate the soil, water, and air when spilt or illegally dumped. Improperly stored items could be involved in accidental poisonings of children and pets. The Clean Sweep Program provides an opportunity for households and farms to safely dispose of these materials for free and for eligible businesses save on their disposal costs.
Clean Sweep is an annual collection typically held in mid-May. The Manitowoc County Clean Sweep is part of a regional partnership with Sheboygan, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Winnebago and Outagamie Counties. It is made possible partly through grant funding from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, a donation from the Ridgeview Landfill and volunteer labor.
The Manitowoc County Recycling Center has a number of programs throughout the year that you can use to help our environment and clean up at home including Composting and Drug Disposal programs, an ongoing Electronics Collection, a Tire Collection as well as the Hazardous Waste Clean Sweep Program. To learn more about these and other programs log onto www.manitowocrecycles.org, call (920) 683-4333, or visit the Recycling Center office at 3000 Basswood Road.