Pierce & Pepin counties partner for hazardous waste collection

ELLSWORTH – Pierce County will provide free disposal for county households and farmers of unwanted medications and hazardous wastes during the county Spring Clean Sweep Event to be held 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 23 at Pierce County Solid Waste Department/Recycling Center (707 N.

Maple St., Ellsworth). A charge may be applied for large loads of household hazardous waste/paints.

Unwanted medications will also be collected, along with pesticides, fertilizers, solvents, fuels, cleaning agents, lead, oil and latex-based paints, and other chemicals from households and farmers in the county. Businesses and institutions in the county are also welcome to participate in the event.

Businesses and institutions must pre-register by Monday, April 18 2022 and pay a fee for the service. Contact the office at 715-273-3092 in advance to arrange for event participation County households, farmers, and business people are encouraged to look through their barns, sheds, garages, basements, storage cabinets, and under the kitchen and bathroom sinks for any and, all unwanted chemicals and paints.

Look in your medicine cabinets too, for any and, all old/unused/ unwanted medications. Empty your medications into a bag for collection at the event. Then, black out personal information on the original container and place it in your trash.

Needles or other medical sharps are not accepted at this event or facility.

Anyone who has an unknown material in a quantity of more than five gallons should contact the Pierce County Solid Waste/Recycling Office in advance for assistance in identify ing it and determining whether it is hazardous.

All materials with package or container labels displaying a consumer alert (words like “WARNING, CAUTION, DANGER, CORROSIVE, TOXIC, FLAMMABLE, HAZARDOUS, POISON”) can be, taken to the Clean Sweep; along with all lead, oil and latex paint, including aerosol paints. Any latex paint hardened-in-the-can, you discard in your regular garbage.

We accept non-hazardous waste on a regular basis 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (bring in by 2 p.m. if you need help unloading) for a charge. There will be a charge for these items during Clean Sweep events also. Only hazardous and pharmaceutical items will be free for disposal on Clean Sweep event days.

Another Clean Sweep Event will take place Sept. 17, 2022.

For more information, contact the Pierce County Solid Waste Office at 715-273-3092.