© 2024 WGLT
A public service of Illinois State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Costs Lower Than Expected For Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event

Michael Brown
/
Ecology Action Center

The household hazardous waste collection event at Mitsubishi two months ago is being deemed a huge success by organizers. Michael Brown, Executive Director with the Ecology Action Center, says both fundraising and material volume goal were exceeded. He says costs came in lower than expected, meaning some funds for the next collection in two years are already in house.
 

Brown says 1,600  cars transported more than 27,000 gallons of hazardous waste materials, plus another 20,000 pounds of electronic waste for recycling. Nearly half of the hazardous materials consisted of oil-based paint. The next largest category was pesticide liquids. The results are included in the EAC's final HHW report for 2015.

Brown says if the state were to establish an oil-based paint stewardship program with drop-offs at retailers, it could significantly cut down the size and scope of future community-based hazardous waste collection events.

Primary funding of the HHW events is provided by the city of Bloomington, town of Normal and McLean County governments. They provided $140,000 of the $182,000 budgeted for this year's event.

Willis is a Bloomington, IL, native. During his senior year at Bloomington High School, he finished third in the "Radio Speaking" division of the state speech contest, the only year he competed.
Related Content