Now, people either store it, dump it or put it in the landfill by hiding it among regular garbage. The whole point is we want to protect our environment and groundwater. Household safety is another major factor in the collection day. Certain chemicals, if stored over time, can become volatile, which makes for a dangerous situation, Newlun said. Even though the event is free for Adams County residents, disposing of hazardous waste is a costly undertaking.
Special training is required to handle some of the hazardous chemicals and to take care of disposal.
The Red Willow County volunteer fire department has started an organization to bring that service to Nebraska cities. The department will be working in Hastings Saturday. From Hastings, the waste is transported to sites designated for specific toxic wastes in Nebraska and out of state. A state Department of Environmental Quality grant will fund the bulk of the cost. Grand Island will use a portion of the grant for its own collection day.