Residents of the City of Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie County can safely dispose of household hazardous waste later next month, city officials said.
Keep Port St. Lucie Beautiful will hold its Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Saturday, October 10, from 8 a.m. to noon at the city's public works facility, 450 SW Thornhill Drive in Port St. Lucie.
The event, held a few times a year, is open to residential waste only according to Scott Samples, the city's public information officer.
"It's an opportunity to clean out the garage or clean out the attic and bring in stuff that shouldn't be placed in the trash that requires special handling," Samples said.
Acceptable items include automotive fluids, batteries, bug sprays, computers, drain cleaners, herbicides, oil-based paints and prescription medications, Samples said. He noted that flushing old medications or tossing them in the trash can harm the environment.
Solvents and thinners are also accepted. But latex and water-based paints are not — those should be dried out and thrown away with regular household trash, Samples said.
Biohazard and medical waste, including sharps and syringes, will not be accepted.
Samples recommended residents check the full list of accepted items at cityofpsl.com before heading to the event.
Residents don't need to get out of their cars. Volunteers will unload items directly from vehicles at the drop-off site, and the service is free.
"They have got this down to a pretty well-oiled system," Samples said. "It doesn't take too much time."
The last two collection events combined drew more than 1,000 attendees and collected 52,242 pounds of hazardous material, according to Samples.
The event is open to residents of the City of Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie County. A valid ID is required, and participants must be at least 16 years old.