Pilot program in Phoenix to allow pickup of hazardous waste from residents' home
PHOENIX - A pilot program in Phoenix will allow for hazardous waste to be picked up right from residents' front door, and city officials are looking at things like participation to see if the pilot will continue.
Usually, the city will hold events at a park for residents to drop off their hazardous waste. Now, in an effort to create convenience and lessen the amount of hazardous waste in landfills, city workers are coming to residents' front doors to pick up the waste.
This waste could be anything from spray paint cans, paint to batteries. These are items the city does not want in regular trash.
"It doesn’t seem like a big deal, [but] those cause fires in the facilities and explosions at our recycling facilities, and it is also unsafe," said City of Phoenix Public Works Operations Managers Lucas Mariacher.
In addition, the waste can be harmful to anyone who comes in contact with it. When the hazardous waste is in the city’s hands, they do their best to recycle and repurpose the items.
"We have latex paint that will go back to a local vendor here in Phoenix, and then they will remix it and sell it," said Mariacher.
The program will run until June.
Phoenix Household Hazardous Waste Pilot Program