Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
HURLEY — Iron County residents will have an opportunity to dispose of their hazardous and electronic waste, as the county is once again hosting a collection event.
The collection will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at both the Hurley Recycling Center and the Mercer Town Garage.
A variety of items will be collected; including tires, electronics, appliances, hazardous waste and lead tackle.
Among the hazardous waste being accepted are: oil-based paints, solvents, pesticides, hazardous cleaners, rechargeable ni-cads, metal halide and button batteries, mercury, corrosives, flammables, gas, antifreeze and other chemicals.
According to a flyer for the event; alkaline and vehicle batteries, incandescent light bulbs, asbestos, ammunition and explosives, radioactive waste empty containers and latex paint aren’t accepted.
While the hazardous waste collection is only for Iron County residents, according to Iron County Recycling Coordinator Lori Prenderville, the other collections Saturday are open to everyone.
This is because the hazardous waste collection is put on by the Northwest Regional Planning Commission — a multi-county consortium Iron County belongs to — and is free for residents, while the other collections have fees associated with them.
For the electronics collection; there is no charge for laptops, calculators, wire and cabling, cell phones, keyboards and personal computers — but there is a fee for scanners, VCRs, radios, monitors and televisions.
There is no charge for freon-free appliances; but there are charges for microwaves, air conditioners and humidifiers, refrigerators and freezers.
Tires also have a fee for disposal, depending on sizes.
Fluorescent tubes, certain types of light bulbs and oil filters also carry assorted fees.
Businesses wishing to take advantage of the collection event are required to register ahead of time, according to the flyer. Farmers wishing to dispose of farm chemicals and pesticides are also requested to register before the event, with the disposal of up to 200 pounds being free.
Additional information on the hazardous waste collection and its prices can be found by contacting Jen Barton at [email protected] or 715-635-2197. Contact the Superior-based Afterlife Electronics Graveyard at 218-940-9274 or [email protected] for additional information on the electronics collection.
— Richard Jenkins