Household hazardous waste collection events announced

    Residents who are spring cleaning may find products like old turpentine, paint thinners, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and waste gasoline in their homes, garages or barns.     This summer, Northern Maine Development Commission, in conjunction with Healthy Aroostook and Power of Prevention, is organizing two household hazardous waste collections for residents and retired farmers to dispose of these unused or unwanted products.
    The free collections will take place in Presque Isle on Aug. 23, and in Houlton on Sept. 6.
    Any resident or retired farmer who lives in NMDC’s service area may participate for free, but per-registration with NMDC is mandatory prior to Aug. 20 for the Presque Isle Collection and Sept. 3 for the Houlton collection.
    Participants will be required to bring the permit that has been issued by NMDC as proof of registration on the day of the event. Residents choosing to bring only pharmaceuticals do not need to pre-register with NMDC and may show up on the day of the collections anytime from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
    Businesses cannot be accommodated at this time, according to the NMDC officials.
    NMDC partnered with the Aroostook County Action Program, Aroostook County Chief of Police Association, County of Aroostook, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Maine Department of Agriculture, Pine Tree Wastes, the City of Presque Isle, Tri-Community Recycling and Sanitary Landfill and the Maine State Planning Office in order to bring these collections events to northern Maine.
    For more information regarding the household hazardous waste collections, or to obtain a permit, please contact Connie Bondeson at 498-8736, or toll free at 1-800-427-8736.