Pinellas County urges residents to safely dispose of household hazardous waste ahead of hurricane season

Pinellas County urges residents to safely dispose of household hazardous waste ahead of hurricane season

Chemicals, cleaners and gasoline are all appropriate items to bring to the HHW and collection events.

As hurricane season approaches, Pinellas County is encouraging residents to safely dispose of household hazardous waste as a part of their spring cleaning.

Each year, a last-minute rush to get rid of old gasoline and other hazardous chemicals overwhelms drop-off centers as residents prepare for incoming hurricanes. This surge often leads to long lines and fills the centers' bulk fuel tanks quickly - sometimes forcing staff to turn residents away. To avoid delays and ensure safe disposal, residents are encouraged to drop off these chemicals now, well ahead of the June 1 start of hurricane season.

"Many of these chemicals are fire hazards and could pollute your home and neighborhood during a hurricane," said Pinellas County Solid Waste Director Paul Sacco. "You'll have enough to worry about as you prepare for a storm. Don't wait till then to clear out these hazardous chemicals."

Pinellas County offers two free drop-off sites for household hazardous waste such as gasoline, oil, paint and rechargeable batteries:

• Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Center, 2855 109th Ave. N., St. Petersburg; open Tuesday through Friday and the first and third Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• HHW North, 29582 U.S. 19 N, Clearwater; open select Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The HHW program is for Pinellas County households only. A government-issued ID is required to verify residency.

For a full list of accepted items and quantity limits, visit Pinellas.gov/hhw. For business waste information, visit Pinellas.gov/bizwaste