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Hazardous waste event this Saturday

T-G STAFF REPORT

Posted 9/22/22

According to the City of Shelbyville website, “hazardous waste is any chemical, corrosive, flammable, reactive, solvent, or toxic product that poses potential threats to public health or to the …

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Hazardous waste event this Saturday

T-G STAFF REPORT

Posted

According to the City of Shelbyville website, “hazardous waste is any chemical, corrosive, flammable, reactive, solvent, or toxic product that poses potential threats to public health or to the environment.”  

Any Bedford County resident who has such items can dispose of them on Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Bedford County Ag Center, 2119 Midland Rd in Shelbyville, from 8 a.m. to noon during the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) event.  

Though there is not a limit on the number of loads, this event is only for household waste, according to solid waste coordinator Diane Forbes. Any commercial businesses have to go through the state of Tennessee.  

This event is also open to outside counties.  

“I’m hoping we’ll have a pretty decent turnout,” said Forbes. “We dispose of it properly to keep the materials from going into our water system...So handling it the responsible way is the best way to do this.” 

Typical items to dispose of include cleaning fluids, pesticides, mercury thermometers and thermostats, fluorescent lamps, lithium and button batteries, aerosols, adhesives, medications, brake fluid, swimming pool chemicals, paint thinner and used needles in sturdy containers. 

For safety, the Highway Department asks residents not to mix materials. Keep them in their original containers, double package any leaking containers, and place any breakable containers in a box, cushioned with newspaper. 

No explosive, ordnance, ammunition, radioactive material, or medical waste will be accepted. Smoke detectors are not accepted but may be recycled elsewhere. Items no longer accepted at the mobile HHW collections are alkaline batteries, paint, and electronics.  

Paint is no longer taken as the waste department has a paint facility at the Shelbyville’s Transfer Station, located at 712 Blue Ribbon Parkway, and open Monday through Thursday, according to Forbes. They accept unused water based latex paint from both city and county residents. 

Hazardous waste collected at the event is disposed of by Clean Harbors in Nashville. Forbes added this event is paid for through the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation grants.