Hazardous Waste Programs

Hazardous Wastes are materials that can cause injury or are harmful if handled improperly. These chemicals pose a threat not only to people (particularly children and refuse collectors), but to our environment as well. When chemicals are disposed of improperly, they can find their way into our water systems, which pollutes our drinking water and is also digested by fish that humans eat. Wildlife is impacted since the very plant-life they depend on for survival is also polluted.

Polk County Solid Waste Operates a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program (HHWCP), Small Quantity Generator Program (SQG), and Used Sharps Collection Program to help prevent hazardous wastes from households and businesses from entering the Polk County landfill, soils, and water, and to protect the public health. The Polk County Solid Waste landfill is monitored for the presence of hazardous wastes. If hazardous wastes are detected in the landfill we will have to clean-up the contaminated area. Clean-ups of this type are very expensive procedures. (Our last landfill contained over 6 million cubic yards of garbage.)

To keep our environment and landfill free of hazardous wastes Polk County Solid Waste offers the following programs:

• Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility (HHWCF)
• Mobile Collection Events (MCE's)
• Paint Giveaway Program
• Used Sharps Collection Program (Biomedical Waste)
• Small Quantity Generator Program (SQG)

Please click on these topics or scroll down the page for information on these programs.

Hazardous wastes generated from households of Polk County residents are accepted free of charge at Polk County's HHWCF. The facility is located at the North Central Landfill. The HHWCF's operating hours are:

Closed Sundays, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Please follow these storage and packaging guidelines.

Items should be stored in their original container with contents clearly labeled. Do not mix chemicals. Do not put such materials in garbage cans or storm drains. Individual containers in poor condition should be placed in a plastic bucket or bag. All items should be packed in a plastic container or sturdy box.

Household quantities of hazardous waste are accepted free. Businesses, commercial enterprises, non-profit groups or anyone other than a households are not eligible for this service and must contact Solid Waste for other disposal options.

Items that are is Accepted/Definitions

Products that have words such as danger, warning, caution, poisonous, and flammable on the labels can mean a product is toxic and should be brought to the HHWCF. Other products may have warnings such as skin irritant and use in well-ventilated area. Specific categories and items are listed below.

Common Household Hazardous Wastes:

Paints and Stains	Flourescent Lamps	Batteries	Automotive Fluids	Mercury
latex paints oil based paints weather sealers wood preservers	flourescent tubes ballasts	NiCad Lithium Mercury Metal Hydride	gasoline motor oil-filters antifreeze brake fluid	thermometers thermostats neon lights

Hazardous Wastes by Category:

Corrosives	Flammables	Toxics	Reactive Materials
pool chemicals battery acids drain cleaners acids and bases strong chemicals	paint thinners kerosene lighter fluids propane cylinders adhesives	pesticides herbicides poisons photographic wastes paint strippers	aerosol cans pool chlorine strong fertilizers cyanides / sulfides water reactives

Unacceptable wastes:

Ammunition Asbestos(see Landfill) Fireworks/explosives Radioactive Materials Biomedical/infectious wastes (see Used Sharps Collection Program)

For information on safer, less toxic alternatives to hazardous household products contact: Polk County Solid Waste (863)284-4319

To assist Polk County Residents in the disposal of their hazardous wastes, Solid Waste takes its show on the road. Each of the seventeen (17) municipalities in Polk County is invited to sponsor a MCE in their town. The municipality is responsible for scheduling the date of the collection, identifying a suitable location, advertising/promotion, and traffic control at the event. Solid Waste provides the collection equipment, labor, transportation, and pays for the proper disposal of the waste. Residents of the County may participate in any MCE that they wish. All that is required is that they follow the same guidelines as listed in HHWCF Program.

HHWCF and MCE programs have served over 24,000 residents. This has led to a significant reduction in the amount of hazardous wastes entering our environment and our landfill. Over the past five years Solid Waste has annually recycled or properly disposed of:

• 14,000 gallons of used oil
• 119,285 pounds of lead-acid batteries
• 5,000 fluorescent lamps (these lamps contain mercury)
• 15,223 pounds of pesticides and toxic materials

Each year Solid Waste helps prevent over 324 tons of hazardous wastes from entering Polk County's Landfill and our soil, water and air!

2007/2008 Mobile Collection Events for Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics

February 2, 2008 - Lake Wales
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
James P. Austin Community Center
315 N. Martin Luther King Blvd
Lake Wales, Fl  33853

March 22, 2008 - Haines City
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Public Works Complex
300 N. 5th Street
Haines City, Fl  33844

April 5, 2008 - Lakeland
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Polk County Health Department
3241 Lakeland Hills Blvd
Lakeland, Fl  33805

October 4, 2008 - Bartow
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Citrus and Chemical Bank
600 N Broadway Ave.
Bartow, Fl  33830

December 6, 2008 - Winter Haven
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Chain-of -Lakes S/W Complex
210 Cypress Gardens Blvd S/W
Winter Haven, Fl  33880

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each month the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility (HHWCF) receives 3,000 gallons of latex and oil-based paints and stains. A portion of this material is in good, usable condition. It is free to County residents and is available on a "first come, first served" basis. To take advantage of this program please come to the HHWCF during operating hours.

The Polk County Household Used Sharps Collection Program is a health and public safety program that disposes of over 1.5 million used needles and syringes (sharps). Sharps that are thrown away with household garbage or that are placed in dumpsters may place those working around the waste in danger. Sharps have the potential to cause injury by puncturing or lacerating the skin and to spread disease.

This program was begun to reduce the chance of injury to family members of syringe users and workers involved in solid waste collection and disposal. If you generate Sharps please visit the collection site nearest you during business hours. They will provide you with a free container or accept your full container for proper disposal.

Collection Sites

Aurburndale
Auburndale Public Health Unit
1805 Hobbs Rd.
(863) 965-5400
Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 5 :00 P.M.

Bartow
Bartow Fire Department
110 East Church St.
(863) 534-5044
Any day, 7:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M.
(Note: If the doors are closed, ring the bell.)

Environmental Health Unit
2090 E. Clower St.
(863) 519-8330
Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Haines City
Haines City Public Health Unit
111 W. 11th Street
(863) 421-3204
Monday - Friday, 7:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Lakeland
Lakeland Public Health Unit
3241 Lakeland Hills Blvd.
(863) 413-2620
Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Lake Wales
Lake Wales Public Health Unit
305 W. Central Avenue
(863) 678-4144
Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Winter Haven
Winter Haven Laboratory Building
255 Avenue D, N.W.
(863) 291-5204
Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 5 :00 P.M.

Please follow these recommended guidelines:

1. Phone the site near you for their hours of operation. Most sites are open from 8:00AM-4:00PM.

2. At the participating site, obtain your first sharps container or exchange your filled red sharps container with a new one.

3. Place syringes in the container immediately after use. Never snap-off the needle or recap it. Always keep containers out of the reach of children.

4. When making an exchange, always give the filled sharps container to authorized personnel. Never leave a sharps container unattended.

5. Always make sure your container is sealed properly. For safety reasons the exchange site has the right to refuse any improperly packaged boxes.

Your cooperation is essential in making this program successful in removing the potential for improper disposal of needles.

The Polk County Household Used Sharps Collection Program is sponsored by:

Through this state mandated program, Solid Waste monitors hazardous wastes from businesses in Polk County by conducting on-site surveys. These surveys summarize the types and quantities of hazardous waste that a business produces. According to the results of the survey, the business is then classified into one of three categories.

1.) Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator (CESQG's). This group is exempt from further regulation until their next survey. Most businesses in Polk County are CESQG's.

2.) Small Quantity Generator (SQG's). These businesses must comply with more stringent hazardous waste requirements.

3.) Large Quantity Generators (LQG's). The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) 6is directly responsible for monitoring this group.

All businesses are encouraged to voluntarily follow legal and environmentally sound methods of hazardous waste recycling and disposal. Small businesses with limited resources are provided with suggestions on the least expensive options and are given lists of companies that are certified to transport, store, and dispose of hazardous wastes.

Please visit the Links section of the web-page for information on the Southern Waste Information Exchange (SWIX). SWIX links businesses that have unusable products or wastes to businesses that can utilize them or you may find useable products.

For More Information Contact: Polk County Solid Waste