The Hazmobile is coming

The HazMobile is making a visit to Palmerston North next month.

The HazMobile is a free mobile drop off service for household hazardous waste and will be located at the City Council’s Awapuni Sustainable Development Centre off Maxwell’s Line on Sunday, April 6, from 9-3pm.

The service, which is a one off event, will allow people to get rid of their hazardous waste, benefitting people’s health and the environment. The service has received funding assistance from Horizons Regional Council.

The City Council’s Water and Waste Services Manager, Chris Pepper, advises that hazardous waste is harmful and shouldn’t be thrown out with general waste. If it’s sent to the landfill or disposed of inappropriately it will enter the atmosphere through air, land and water pollution.

“Problems to human and animal health can occur when harmful substances enter the food chain and accumulate in the blood stream. Some harmful substances are known to be cancer causing,” he says.

Chris explains that household hazardous waste is generated in the home, garden or garage and is potentially dangerous to health or the environment. It includes such things as paint, solvents and paint strippers, petrol, oil and other car products, batteries, pool chemicals, kitchen and oven cleaners, bleach and disinfectants, glues and gas cylinders.

He says the hazardous waste collected on HazMobile Day will be sent to appropriate recyclers or processed to be disposed of appropriately to minimise risk to human health and the environment. However not included are commercial, school and medical waste, ammunition and explosives and asbestos.

The Awapuni Sustainable Development Centre is establishing its own drop off programme.

The facility will open shortly and, for a small charge, will accept such items as water based paint, used engine and cooking oil, car and household batteries, fluorescent and energy efficient light bulbs, mobile phones and accessories, computers, agricultural containers and tyres.