Page 14 - May/June 2015 Vol. 33 No. 1
P. 14
CHATTANOOGA / HAMILTON COUNTY By Jason Silvers
Spotlight: Permanent Hazardous
Waste Collection Facility
The City of Chattanooga has hosted This program is wholly funded through a State of Tennessee
household hazardous waste (HHW) grant issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and
disposal at its permanent facility for
over 15 years. One of the few permanent Conservation (TDEC) and reimburses the City up to $85,000
facilities in the State of Tennessee annually for costs incurred.
exclusive to hazardous waste collection,
this City service allows both Chattanooga necessitates environmentally sound and home use as well. This table is in rotation
and Hamilton County residents the regulated disposal. Most HHW waste is at City owned locations and can be used
convenience of disposing of their toxic generated over time and can accumulate in at neighborhood gatherings, garden
materials every month. one’s garage, shed or basement. To avoid clubs, and other social events. Lastly, the
chemical reactions which may occur when City is working to transition the site and
Open the second Saturday of each different materials are stored adjacent push back the hours to 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
month and located in the middle of to one another and to limit children to accommodate the needs of its citizens
the city within Chattanooga’s Wood and pets coming into contact with this and increase the convenience factor of not
Recycle Center, this program has seen a toxic material, it is recommended that having to wake up so early on a Saturday!
steady flow of hazardous materials come one dispose of this waste properly which
through its entrance since its inception. necessitates a visit to a HHW facility. Like most permanent facilities for
The site’s hours of operations are from hazardous waste collection, the City
8 a.m. to noon and it is manned by City Though this program has been running contracts out collection and disposal
personnel who direct customers on since 2000, there is still a consistent services. The City’s current contractor is
where and how to proceed within the need to promote and educate citizens as Environmental Enterprises Incorporated
site. The City’s recycling coordinator the number of attendees has decreased (EEI) stationed out of Ohio. Their team
is on site as well, handling customer annually the last three years. To combat consists of two chemists and up to four
questions and comments while making this negative trend, Chattanooga workers who unload the materials from
sure the contractor on site is performing is turning to social media, namely the vehicles, package said material, and
at an efficient pace and collecting Facebook and Twitter, to get the word out load it onto their truck after tallying up
only acceptable hazardous material. concerning the who, what, when, where, the totals for transportation regulations.
Chattanooga’s facility was built as an open and why of household hazardous waste EEI arrives up to two hours early for
plan to accommodate the movements disposal. The Public Works department set up and leaves an hour after the final
and storage needs of the contractor with has also assembled an information table car passes through to ensure efficiency.
an eye-washing station and two chemical that shows examples of items taken at The chemists classify each material
storage units which house fluorescent the facility and offers brochures for take and sort it by its composition to deter
bulbs, batteries, pesticides, and herbicides
and a roof to keep out the weather. With
its one lane of transit, up to three cars
can be serviced at a time and residents
are advised to stay in their vehicle while
their material is removed to prevent any
injuries or damages. The average unload
time is less than a minute while the total
wait time is less than three. All vehicles are
processed at the gate prior to entering the
site to ensure that only valid residents are
allowed in. City personnel write down the
resident’s driver’s license information and
check the vehicle tag.
Household hazardous waste is material
that is considered toxic and should not be
disposed of by normal garbage collection
and therefore not to be landfilled. While
some materials can be recycled or
reused, such as motor oil, other material
14 TPW May/June 2015
Spotlight: Permanent Hazardous
Waste Collection Facility
The City of Chattanooga has hosted This program is wholly funded through a State of Tennessee
household hazardous waste (HHW) grant issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and
disposal at its permanent facility for
over 15 years. One of the few permanent Conservation (TDEC) and reimburses the City up to $85,000
facilities in the State of Tennessee annually for costs incurred.
exclusive to hazardous waste collection,
this City service allows both Chattanooga necessitates environmentally sound and home use as well. This table is in rotation
and Hamilton County residents the regulated disposal. Most HHW waste is at City owned locations and can be used
convenience of disposing of their toxic generated over time and can accumulate in at neighborhood gatherings, garden
materials every month. one’s garage, shed or basement. To avoid clubs, and other social events. Lastly, the
chemical reactions which may occur when City is working to transition the site and
Open the second Saturday of each different materials are stored adjacent push back the hours to 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
month and located in the middle of to one another and to limit children to accommodate the needs of its citizens
the city within Chattanooga’s Wood and pets coming into contact with this and increase the convenience factor of not
Recycle Center, this program has seen a toxic material, it is recommended that having to wake up so early on a Saturday!
steady flow of hazardous materials come one dispose of this waste properly which
through its entrance since its inception. necessitates a visit to a HHW facility. Like most permanent facilities for
The site’s hours of operations are from hazardous waste collection, the City
8 a.m. to noon and it is manned by City Though this program has been running contracts out collection and disposal
personnel who direct customers on since 2000, there is still a consistent services. The City’s current contractor is
where and how to proceed within the need to promote and educate citizens as Environmental Enterprises Incorporated
site. The City’s recycling coordinator the number of attendees has decreased (EEI) stationed out of Ohio. Their team
is on site as well, handling customer annually the last three years. To combat consists of two chemists and up to four
questions and comments while making this negative trend, Chattanooga workers who unload the materials from
sure the contractor on site is performing is turning to social media, namely the vehicles, package said material, and
at an efficient pace and collecting Facebook and Twitter, to get the word out load it onto their truck after tallying up
only acceptable hazardous material. concerning the who, what, when, where, the totals for transportation regulations.
Chattanooga’s facility was built as an open and why of household hazardous waste EEI arrives up to two hours early for
plan to accommodate the movements disposal. The Public Works department set up and leaves an hour after the final
and storage needs of the contractor with has also assembled an information table car passes through to ensure efficiency.
an eye-washing station and two chemical that shows examples of items taken at The chemists classify each material
storage units which house fluorescent the facility and offers brochures for take and sort it by its composition to deter
bulbs, batteries, pesticides, and herbicides
and a roof to keep out the weather. With
its one lane of transit, up to three cars
can be serviced at a time and residents
are advised to stay in their vehicle while
their material is removed to prevent any
injuries or damages. The average unload
time is less than a minute while the total
wait time is less than three. All vehicles are
processed at the gate prior to entering the
site to ensure that only valid residents are
allowed in. City personnel write down the
resident’s driver’s license information and
check the vehicle tag.
Household hazardous waste is material
that is considered toxic and should not be
disposed of by normal garbage collection
and therefore not to be landfilled. While
some materials can be recycled or
reused, such as motor oil, other material
14 TPW May/June 2015
