Ever wondered what to do with hazardous waste that shouldn't go in the garbage? These items include chemical cylinders, household chemicals and certain batteries, paint, automotive liquids, mercury, farm chemicals, and other household hazardous waste. Many Logan County residents have asked Solid Waste Coordinator Nathan Cockrill what they can do with these items.
We have an answer for you. The state offers a grant that pays to have a special disposal day for county residents, but a hazardous waste disposal event has never been held here in Logan County. However, Judge Logan Chick, the fiscal court, and waste coordinator decided it was time to try arrange this day as a benefit to Logan County residents, if it was possible. A bid was offered by the Veolia Company out of Louisville, Kentucky to host the event. It would cost $9,955 to pay Veolia and to pay for advertising. The grant will pay for all this amount, with a 25 percent match from the county.
With the help of the aforementioned Kentucky Environmental Cabinet grant, everyone agreed the day could be scheduled. So, the Logan County Fiscal Court, in conjunction with the state and Veolia, will recycle residents' hazardous waste Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The site will be in the gravel lot behind the Logan County Ag Arena and Extension Office at 255 John Paul Avenue in Russellville, as this area allows plenty of room for the anticipated traffic flow. If it rains, there will be an alternate area set up on the Extension Center grounds. In anticipation of the crowds, plenty of help will be on site from Recycling Coordinator Tim Pitts and a crew from the Logan County Detention Center.
Here is what we can take at our household hazardous waste day---
All types of light bulbs including fluorescent, adhesives, aerosol spray cans, ammonia products, antifreeze, batteries-non vehicle, bleaches, brake fluids, cesspool cleaners, creosote, drain cleaners, driveway sealers, engine flushes, floor cleaners, fire extinguishers, herbicides, hydrochloric acid, insect sprays, kerosene, mercury and mercury products, moth balls, oil based paint, old chemistry sets, propane cylinders, putty, oven cleaners, paint thinner, pesticides, pool chemicals, polish, rodent and other similar poisons, sealants, solvents, tar, thermostats, transmission fluid, wood repair fluids, and other various household wastes.
At this event, the County cannot accept water based paint, automotive batteries, motor oil, gunpowder products etc., smoke detectors, and non-propane cylinders. The state grant will not cover these items.
On how to recycle the above items, water-based paint can be dried out with cat litter and put in the garbage or taken to the free dump days the 2nd and 4th Saturdays from 8 am to noon at 55 Pleasant View Drive, Auburn. Automotive batteries and motor oil can be taken to one of the numerous local stores that deal with automotives. For other questions on how to recycle items the county can't, call 270-746-7475.
If you have electronic waste other than batteries, please bring it to our E-scrap day Oct. 25 from 8:30 am to 3 pm at the Logan County Recycling Center, 1230 Morgantown Rd.
This day is for Logan County residents with proof only. Since this is the first time this day is going to happen here (to the waste coordinator's knowledge), residents are encouraged to take advantage of it. It should be the greatest time in Logan County since Jesse James came, only this time we will “steal” your hazardous trash. If you would like to volunteer, there are certainly ways the event could use help. If you have questions, call 726-7220.