The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), in collaboration with Rutherford County, and City of Murfreesboro governments are hosting a Household Hazardous Waste Collection (HHW) on Saturday, November 1, 2014 at the City of Murfreesboro Public Works Facility, 4765 Florence Road in Murfreesboro. The collection will be held from 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

All households are encouraged to participate. Acceptable items are home maintenance/improvement products such as used strippers and thinners, adhesives, driveway sealant, roofing tar and wallpaper remover. Home lawn and garden products that are accepted include pesticides, fertilizers and wood preservatives. In addition, acceptable miscellaneous items include pool chemicals, photo processing chemicals, aerosols / compressed gas, mercury thermostats and thermometers, fluorescent tubes, compact fluorescent bulbs and medicines/drugs. Please empty medications into a zip lock plastic bag before bringing to the event. Also, be aware that the Sheriff's Department, located at 940 New Salem Highway in Murfreesboro, has a free collection bin for unused medicine that is available year-round. The bin is located in the main lobby of the department.

Items that are NOT accepted include medical/biological waste such as needles, sharps and infectious wastes. Automotive gas tanks, explosives, ammunition, gun powder and fireworks are also banned from this collection. In addition radioactive wastes such as smoke detectors and radium paint will not be accepted.

Electronic waste is also NOT accepted at his event. Instead, it is collected free-of-charge each Tuesday and Saturday from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM at 1140 Haley Road in Murfreesboro. Items such as old televisions, computers, monitors, and computer peripherals are accepted, but the cord must be attached.

What do we do with PANT?

PAINT IS NO LONGER ACCEPTED at this collection. For directions on solidifying latex paint and information on the collection of oil-based paint, please refer to www.rutherfordcountytn.gov/environmental/education. You may also call 615 542-4633 for a flyer to be mailed.

Need more information?

For a fee and advance reservations, small businesses are now able to properly dispose of hazardous materials immediately following this collection. This relatively new program is called the Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator Program; it is for businesses such as automotive painting and repair shops, beauty salons, construction companies, dentists, dry cleaners, painters, print shops, property managers, public storage businesses or any other business or not-for-profit agency that needs to dispose of hazardous materials. Please contact Clean Harbors Environmental Services at 615 643-3170 or by e-mail at TNCESQG@cleanharbors.com for a price quote and appointment time.

This is a great opportunity to safeguard homes from potentially dangerous materials. For more information please contact Mimi D. Keisling at 615 542-4633 or by e-mail at mkeisling@rutherfordcountytn.gov, or by logging on to www.rutherfordcountytn.gov, click on the flyer under "Public Notices" for more details.