Staunton Star - Times - Published in the Interest of the Staunton Community for Over 143 Years

Illinois EPA Director John J. Kim recently announced the execution of a new Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Madison County, to establish and support a new long-term Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection site in the Metro East area. The site is now open at 249 N. Old St. Louis Road in Wood River. Historically, Illinois EPA has included four long-term collection locations, all in northern Illinois, as part of its household hazardous waste collection program. Madison County now becomes the first Illinois EPA-supported permanent HHW collection south of Naperville. The site was opened to the public on Nov. 6.

The development, construction, and permitting of the Madison County site was entirely locally funded. The county is also financially supporting all onsite labor and maintenance of the facility. The Madison County HHW collection site will be open on the first Saturday and third Friday of each month from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Upcoming dates include Dec. 17, and Jan. 8 and 14, Feb. 5 and 18. Appointments are required. To schedule an appointment, residents can visit: bit.ly/3pBNQkf. Madison County residency is not required to utilize the facility.

Each year, Illinois EPA supports collection events across the state that provide residents a safe outlet for common household hazardous items, such as lawn chemicals and cleaning supplies. These collections are in the form of either one-day collection events organized by local government or permanent facilities supported by one or more units of local government that are open throughout the year. In each case, Illinois EPA provides a hazardous waste contractor to transport collected HHW from the site to an appropriately permitted disposal facility.

“The Illinois EPA has worked closely with Madison County over the last several years in its efforts to bring a collection site to the area,” said Director Kim. “We remain committed to providing no-cost collection options for the proper disposal of household hazardous waste throughout the state.”

Residents are encouraged to dispose of chemical cleaners, oil-based paints, thinners, antifreeze, motor oil, gasoline, kerosene, weed killers, insecticides and pesticides, pool chemicals, old or outdated medication, and similar hazardous household products. Fluorescent and other high-intensity discharge lamps may also be brought to the collections.

ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED include latex paint, used tires, ammunition, explosives, fireworks, propane tanks, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, Farm machinery oil, agricultural chemicals and business or biohazard wastes.