CITY OF MANSFIELD STORM WATER MANAGEMENT
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTES PROGRAM
The Keep Mansfield Beautiful Commission will be hosting the Spring HHW Dropoff at City Hall on October 17. Collection will begin at 9 a.m. Only the first 100 vehicles can be assured of service. Everyone after the 100th vehicle will depend on available space. So get here early if you want be assured a space. Remember that Mansfield residents can visit the Fort Worth Environmental Collection Center located at 6400 Bridge St. in Fort Worth during their normal business hours for a dropoff. No voucher is required, but you will need to show proof of residency, usually a utility bill. You can call the ECC information line at 817-392-3279 for details on acceptable items, and hours.
This flyer has the full details of allowable and excluded materials. In addition to HHW products, the KMBC is also offering electronics recycling for computer equipment, and used cooking oil collection.
If you have any questions, please email Howard Redfearn or call at: 817-276-4240.
What Can I Do With Paint?
Paint is by far the most common HHW material brought to these events. Since it is so common, the paint trailer fills up and we have to turn residents away every year.
This year, try the following steps to get rid of your excess paint:
- Try freecycle.org or craigslist.org to give paint away. If you have nearly full cans of paint it is hard to mix in absorbents. Plus this way, the material is kept out of landfills.
- Donate unused but usable paint to charitable organizations. Tarrant Habitat for Humanity, or local charities will often take paint and make it available to those in need.
- Mix in cat litter, sand or other absorbent and set out to dry. Once dry, set at curb with regular trash with lid off.
Paint is only a problem for landfills when it is in liquid form. It can actually cause holes in the landfill liner leading to ground water pollution and is a real problem. But following the above steps keeps it from harming the landfills and makes sure everyone can get rid of their HHW in a responsible way.
What Are HHWs?
HHW is an acronym for Household Hazardous Wastes. HHWs range from cleaning products, fuels, and solvents to batteries, fertilizers, and pharmaceuticals. HHW classified substances have the ability to be harmful to people, wildlife and the environment in general.
Many of these substances are poisons, and most of them can cause serious harm if ingested. Dumping these substances into storm drains means they enter our local waterways completely untreated and is a very dangerous and illegal method for disposal.
Many of these substances cannot be removed at drinking water treatment facilities. And since these facilities cannot test for every possible pollutant, it is possible they can contaminate drinking water supplies, which can result in the sickness, possible death, of many.
- I have HHW, how should I dispose of it?
- Residents can bring their HHW material to the City of Fort Worth's Environmental Collection Center year round on days they are open. Please call the ECC at (817) 871-5257 before taking any materials over to be sure the materials will be accepted and to check for their hours of operation. The physical address is 6400 Bridge St and a map to the site can be viewed here. The ECC will collect household hazardous wastes, such as paints and solvents. For additional information, i.e. transporting the materials and a complete list of accepted materials, please visit the ECC website using the link above.
- HHW materials should be stored in their original containers with all labels in place. In the event that you are not able to store the material in its original container, make sure you use a similar container (plastic, metal, or glass) as the original, and LABEL the new container clearly. It is generally preferable to use a container with a secure lid, so that when the time comes to transport the material to a facility the possibility of a leak is reduced.
- How can I reduce the threat of HHW?
- Many HHW products have less dangerous, often organic, substitutes. These substitutes produce the same results, but pose less of a danger to our health and the environment. Examples of HHW categories that generally have lower hazard substitutes are cleaners, detergents, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, paints, as well as several others. Carefully selecting the product you wish to use, and the amount you need to use, can help to reduce storing and disposing of the products.
