Madison County to hold free household hazardous waste disposal day

Madison County will hold a free household Hazardous Waste Disposal Day from 8 a.m. to noon Nov. 13 at Madison Central High School, 1417 Highland Colony, Madison, that will be paid for with a $75,000 grant from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.

The MDEQ announced Tuesday that Madison County would receive the $75,000 solid waste assistance grant to be used by the county for the collection of household hazardous waste.

The Nov. 13 Madison County event will take batteries, electronics small, appliances such as computer equipment, TVs, microwaves and more, prescription drugs, household chemicals, tires and documents up to two kitchen-size garbage bags to shred. Items not accepted including air conditioners, bicycles, large appliances, light bulbs, mattresses, lawnmowers, medical, nuclear or radioactive wastes, thermostats.

MDEQ also announced that Hinds County and the City of Clinton will receive waste assistance grants as follows:

• Solid Waste Assistance Grant to Hinds County of $21,854 that will be used by the county for a solid waste enforcement officer.

• A two-year waste tire grant of $60,000 to Hinds County to continue the local waste tire collection program for small quantity generators of waste tires.

• Madison County received a solid waste assistance grant of $75,000 that will be used by the county for the collection of household hazardous waste.

• The City of Clinton was awarded a $25,000 solid waste assistance grant to be used for the collection of household hazardous waste.

“The Solid Waste Assistance Grants support a variety of useful solid waste management activities for cities and counties, and these grants will assist these local governments in improving their management of solid waste,” said Chris Wells, MDEQ Executive Director.

Cities and counties may apply for Solid Waste Assistance Grants through the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. These grants are used by local communities for programs to prevent and clean up unauthorized dumps; to aid in hiring local solid waste enforcement officers; for public education efforts on solid waste disposal and recycling; and, to establish programs for the collection of white goods, bulky wastes, and recyclables.

Funding for waste tire grants is provided by a waste tire account funded from a fee charged on the wholesale sale of every new motor vehicle tire sold in Mississippi. This fee provides the funds to ensure and encourage the proper management and disposal of waste tires.

Information about this grant program and other initiatives is available at www.mdeq.ms.gov/solid-waste-management-programs.