Conservation/Environment
Energy News
What about those other fluorescent tubes?
Public interest in recycling has created an avalanche of business for Chelan County Solid Waste 
Coordinator Brenda Harn – more, in fact, than she’s been prepared to deal with.
“We’re looking at a landslide of materials that need to be diverted into proper recycling,” said Harn (pictured at right), who is the only employee in the solid waste department.
The county stages a household hazardous waste collection once a year. Fluorescent tubes are among the wastes that can be brought in for recycling or disposal. This is the only site in the county that accepts fluorescent tubes, which contain a small amount of mercury. (The Home Depot is now recycling the compact fluorescent lights, but not the larger fluorescent tubes. However, larger fluorescent lights can be recycled by mail; one option is EcoLights Northwest.)
This year’s hazardous waste collection is Saturday, Oct. 4, at four locations. The service is free, but a $5 donation per vehicle is encouraged to cover costs. Locations and hours are as follows:
Wenatchee – Chelan County Shop, 210 Easy Street, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Chelan – Chelan County Fire Station, 232 E. Wapato, 8 to 10:30 a.m.
Entiat – Chelan County Fire Station, Entiat River Road, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Peshastin – Peshastin Elementary, 1001 School Road, 2:30 to 5 p.m.
Residents can bring in fluorescent tubes, motor oil, brake fluid, gasoline, auto flushes and additives, solvents, paints, glues, cements, roof coatings, sealants, caulking, epoxy resins, thinners, spot removers, polishes, waxes, oven cleaners, toilet cleaners, drain cleaners, deck and chimney cleaners, pool chemicals, inks, dyes, batteries and charcoal fluid. Wastes should be left in original containers. Not permitted are agricultural or commercial wastes, explosives, biological waste, laboratory chemicals, and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). The county will not accept containers larger than 5 gallons.
The Oct. 4 collection is only for households, but businesses can register for a separate event. To register, call (509) 667-6415 by Sept. 19.
Harn said product manufacturers and distributors are beginning to take responsibility for recycling, relieving some pressure on the county. Automotive shops, for example, have been recycling motor oil for several years. Starting Jan. 1, 2009, manufacturers of computers, monitors and televisions are required by state law to provide free electronic recycling services. Major computer manufacturers such as Dell and Apple already offer disposal, Harn said. There is a movement for pharmacies to take back pharmaceuticals, she noted, and for paint manufacturers to recycle paints.
“I commend Office Depot, Staples and Home Depot (for their recycling efforts),” she said. “It’s good business, and I think we’ll see more of that trend.”
The county contracts with Total Reclaim Environmental Services to recycle the hazardous wastes that are collected.
Harn has applied for a state grant that would help pay for a permanent hazardous waste facility.
About 750 households bring their wastes to the county’s once-a-year-event.
“People want to do the right thing,” she said. “These are just average folks with average homes, going out of their way to be good citizens.”
Related links:
Recycling paint (Earth 911 Web site)
Would you pay to recycle your CFL bulbs? (Wall Street Journal)
Environmental Protection Agency - CFL/Mercury Fact Sheet