Georgetown semi-annual household hazardous waste throwaway set for Saturday

The Georgetown County Public Services Department is helping residents get their spring cleaning done safely by hosting a hazardous waste collection event Saturday morning.

Workers with the public services department will be accepting unwanted materials, such as paint, batteries, pesticides, fertilizers, and other hazardous household items, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday at the Midway Fire Rescue at 67 St. Paul Place in Pawleys Island, according to a press release.

The GCPSD, along with its Stormwater Division, hosts collection events for the safe disposal of these materials each spring and fall, and the goal is to make proper disposing more convenient for residents.

“These events are a matter of convenience for residents, but for us, it’s not only an opportunity to make sure these materials are being handled the right way, but to share our message and talk to people about recycling and stormwater, and why they should be concerned about these things,” Tracy Jones, Stormwater Division manager, said in a press release.

Nearly three tons of hazardous household items were collected at the organization’s last event, according to the release. Previous throwaways have exceeded three tons; however, the organization hopes to see these numbers drop as residents safely clear out old, sometimes decades old, items as people become better educated about proper disposal.

Workers at the events usually hand out educational information about safe disposal from the Stormwater Division, according to the release.

For more information, visit www.gtcounty.org/stormwater, or call Georgetown County Stormwater Division at 545-3524.

This story was originally published April 10, 2015 at 7:34 AM with the headline "Georgetown semi-annual household hazardous waste throwaway set for Saturday."