Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful Teams Up with the Department of Water Resources for Environmentally Focused Community Event at Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, Issues Call for Volunteers
In February 2022, Gwinnett County hosted its first Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day of the year. As a result, representatives from Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful (GC&B), Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources and 30 volunteers served just under 900 cars and collected 74,520 pounds of household hazardous waste for either recycling or disposal – more than half of which was latex or oil-based paint/stain. For the fifth year in a row, the two Gwinnett County organizations are proud to host this FREE biannual initiative to help local neighbors declutter their homes of potentially hazardous materials and to divert those hazardous materials from local landfills. On July 16 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., Gwinnett County will once again direct a line of cars through the parking lot of Gwinnett County Fairgrounds to collect items from county residents and send them on their way.
“Our Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day marks one of our most popular events of the year,” said Schelly Marlatt, Executive Director for Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful. “In keeping with that popularity, which means we have to process a lot of cars in a short amount of time. To make this Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day as easy as possible for our participants, we need about 40 volunteers ready to help direct traffic, haul items from the trunks and backseats of our neighbors’ cars and deliver them to their appropriate stations, break down boxes and more. The proverb ‘many hands make light work’ is so true. It’s an excellent opportunity to get up early, get outside, meet the neighbors and do some good – all before lunchtime!”
To sign on as a volunteer for this and future events, Marlatt encourages interested individuals and groups to visit Volunteer Gwinnett. As for participants at the event, attendees are permitted to bring up to five containers of household waste. Containers must be the size of a copy paper box or laundry basket, and – since they cannot be returned once removed from the car – disposable containers are recommended. Acceptable items for collection include:
- Aerosol/spray pesticides
- Automotive products (engine degreaser, brake fluid, transmission fluid, antifreeze, etc.)
- Cleaners, corrosives, spot removers, acids and bases
- Aerosol/spray paint
- Auto batteries
- Batteries (household and rechargeable)
- Chlorinated solvents
- Cooking oil and grease
- Fire extinguishers
- Flammables (lighter fluid and waste fuels (kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel, etc.)
- Fluorescent bulbs and ballasts
- Insecticides
- Latex and water-based paints
- Lawn care products
- Mercury
- Mercury salts and elemental mercury thermometers
- Oil based paint and stains
- Oxidizers
- Pesticides
- Poisons
- Propane cylinders
- Solvents and varnishes
- Thermostats and other mercury containing items
- Thinners and paint strippers
- Weed killer
- Wood preservatives
Items that will NOT be collected include Ammunition, Radioactive Waste, Pharmaceuticals, and Biomedical/biohazard waste. Volunteers are asked to report at 7 a.m. on the day of the event. Questions about July’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day can be directed to Program Coordinator, Stephanie Marquardt at 770.822.5187 or gwinnettcb@gwinnettcb.org. Gwinnett County Fairgrounds is located at 2405 Sugarloaf Pkwy in Lawrenceville.
