BENNINGTON — Disposing of household hazardous waste items is about to become much less complicated.
The Bennington County Solid Waste Alliance is installing a hazardous waste storage building at the Bennington Transfer Station on Houghton Lane, signaling the final stage of construction for a permanent household hazardous waste collection depot.
The depot will allow residents of southwestern Vermont an opportunity to safely dispose of items like cleaning products, paints and pesticides when it better suits their schedule.
The facility is being funded through a mix of state and local municipal sources, including a grant from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, which is financing 60 percent of the $116,000 cost. The 13 member towns of the solid waste alliance funding the balance.
The contractor setting up the unit this week was Valley Crane, of Vernon, and the Indiana-based manufacturer was Securall.
Bennington Department of Public Works personnel did preparation work at the site.
The waste alliance expects that the facility will reduce annual operational costs when compared to the previous collection model -- hosting annual disposal events -- and pay for itself in approximately three years.
COST REDUCTIONS
The storage building includes a built-in chemical fire suppression system and explosion relief panels. This will allow the alliance to securely store hazardous materials and save money by having waste sent out for safe disposal at bulk rates.
“In the past, we had drop-off events two or three days per year, and one event could cost more than $30,000 to host,” said Scott Grimm-Lyon, program manager for the alliance. “The events had long lines and limited hours, and if you missed the day you had to wait months before you had a chance to get rid of it again.”
He said the new facility “means less stress for people when they want to clean out under the sink. It’s just one less thing to worry about.”
JUNE OPENING
The facility will be open each week on Mondays (Tuesdays following holiday weekends) with an expected opening date of June 19. The facility will operate seasonally until early October.
Once it is open, residents also can request a dedicated appointment time to drop off material through the alliance’s website at bcswa.org. There will be a $5 fee per car per appointment.
Small businesses and residents without internet access may arrange for an appointment by calling the alliance office at 802-442-0713, ext. 2.
The disposal rate for small businesses will be determined by item type, quantity, and disposal cost.
In addition to the new depot, several local transfer stations and local retail establishments will continue to accept paint, fluorescent bulbs, used motor oil; computers and electronic waste, batteries and other materials banned from landfills.
For more information, visit the website or follow the alliance on social media.
Among the household hazardous waste collected, which should not be placed in with normal household trash, are drain cleaner, floor cleaner, oven cleaner, toilet cleaner, rug and upholstery cleaners, furniture or metal polish, bleach, ammonia, disinfectants, air fresheners, photography chemicals, chemistry sets, moth balls, naphtha, camphor, nail polish remover, perfume, alcohol, and appliances with Freon.
Also, gasoline, kerosene, antifreeze, wiper fluid, brake or transmission fluid, engine degreaser, carburetor cleaner, radiator flusher, car wax/polish, driveway sealant; oil-based paint, stains, varnishes, linseed oil, fillers, putty, adhesives, resins, solvents, rust treatments, acids, hydrogen peroxide, roofing tar, tar remover, creosote; pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, other poisons, chemical fertilizers, pool chemicals, septic system additives, animal repellants, no-pest strips, and flea control products.
BCSWA was formed in 2015 by the towns of Arlington, Bennington, Dorset, Glastenbury, Manchester, Pownal, Rupert, Sandgate, Searsburg, Shaftsbury, Stamford, Sunderland and Woodford to adopt a solid waste management plan to implement Vermont’s recycling laws.
The alliance provides education and outreach on reducing waste, recycling, and proper disposal of hazardous materials to residents, businesses, schools, and institutions in the member towns.