Mobile County Gets $700,000 Hazardous Waste Grant

Posted on: Jun 20th, 2013 | News and Announcements

Mobile County has gotten a $700,000 grant that will fund community events through 2016 to dispose of household hazardous wastes. ?We want to be responsible stewards of our lands and other natural resources,? said Mobile County Commissioner Connie Hudson. Paints, fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, oil, computer parts and other potentially poisonous environmental wastes will be collected at events set up for the next three years to assure that soils and waters are kept clean in Mobile County. ?When items are disposed of improperly, the result is contamination and degradation of our natural resources,? said Mobile County Commissioner Jerry Carl. The first event is tentatively set for November 23 at the Mobile County Fairgrounds. It will be solely dedicated to the disposal of paints, which is the single largest hazardous material that comes from households, according to Bill Melton, Mobile County environmental engineer. ?The event will be huge, based on our experience,? said Melton, noting that the last collection event by the county was in 2006. ?We expect more than 1,000 cars.? On site at the events will be chemists and other experts who will identify the materials and sort them for transport and disposal. The county will also be seeking volunteer assistance for the event. ?Maintaining a healthy, safe environment is important to quality of life,? said Mobile County Commission President Merceria Ludgood. ?I encourage people to make use of these events.? The grant is provided by the federal Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) that is funded through revenues from oil and gas exploration. The grant must be used for conservation, protection or restoration of coastal areas. ###