Waste day numbers up this year

Now in its sixth year, the Household Hazardous Waste Day continues to be a successful means of letting district residents dispose of materials they otherwise wouldn’t be able to get rid of at the landfill.
In fact, Adam Scott, co-ordinator of the Rainy River Watershed Program, said Monday that the event, held Saturday at the Public Works yard on Fifth Street West here, seems to get better each year.
“Preliminary numbers had us over 300 carloads this year, which was more than last year,” he noted. “Without the book in front of me, last year saw somewhere in the low 200s.
“There was a steady stream of people all day.
“There was nicer weather, that’s for sure. It was raining last year,” added Scott. “We were busy all day.
“There was a bit of a lull at lunch time, but that was maybe only 15 or 20 minutes. We were five or six cars deep most of the day.”
While the event is meant for the whole district, and is supported by several district municipalities, the lion’s share of users—90 percent or higher—usually are from Fort Frances and this year was no different, said Scott.
He also felt Household Hazardous Waste Day has become something area residents are used to.
“It’s at a point now where people know that come May, there will be an event to take this stuff to,” said Scott. “A lot of the people who come through are ‘repeat customers.’
“They came through last year and the year before. It’s great that way,” he enthused.
“And we seem to keep growing and growing,” added Scott. “The turnout is fantastic. We’re looking at probably 20,000 kilos of stuff that isn’t going to the landfill or being buried in somebody’s back yard.”
More than 12,000 kg of hazardous products were collected last year and nearly 17,000 kg in 2004.
Scott noted the most common items turned in were paints and oil.
“You’ll get some strange things—DDT, old stuff from chemistry sets,” he said. “But the majority of the weight and quantity is paint and oil.”
Scott said organizers may give future consideration to the idea of having more than one waste day during the year—something they seem to do after each waste day.
“Due to a number of different things, it just hasn’t happened yet. Cost, logistics, all sorts of things,” he remarked. “But if things keep growing and growing, we may have to look at it a lot more seriously.
“In terms of the event itself, the turnout and the amount of stuff we’re getting, we’re organizing it pretty much as well as we can,” Scott added. “When we’re that busy for the amount of time that we are, that’s nice to see.”
The Household Hazardous Waste Day received donations and support from the Town of Fort Frances, as well as from the townships of Chapple, Emo, and La Vallee.
The event is made possible through the participation of volunteers from groups such as the watershed program and Rainy River Valley Field Naturalists, who work alongside the Clean Harbors staff on site for waste day.