St. Charles Parish’s ninth annual hazardous materials collection day was the most successful event so far, with a staggering 26 tons of dangerous waste brought in by residents for recycling and disposal.
And Fred Goodson, engineer and event coordinator from Shell Chemical Company, told the Herald-Guide that residents’ participation could be a sign that the community is becoming more environmentally conscious.
“We count the number of cars that roll through events like this to drop off materials, not people, and we had 493 cars roll through unloading 53,000 pounds of unwanted hazardous materials,” Goodson said.
“It was definitely a community effort, and all of the material will be put to good use and recycled back into the environment,” he continued.
For example, Lamp Environmental Industries, Hammond collected fluorescent lights.
The company will crush the glass and reuse it to make more fluorescent lights.
“The tires we collect are sent to Colt Tire Co. in Lafayette, and will be shredded,” Goodson said.
“Sometimes the shredded tire material will be used as padding for playgrounds or as part of the asphalt material to build new roadways.”
Technology Exchange Co., from Hammond, takes old computers and refurbishes them to be sold on E-Bay, an Internet bidding site where goods are exchanged for money.
“The other computers and electronics that can not be repaired and sold are demanufactured, which means they are broken down and the materials are separated into scrap metal, plastics, and metals and recycled accordingly,” Goodson said.
Phillip Services Inc., from Garyville, provided waste management services for all of the hazardous liquids.
“The latex paint will be reused as paint,” Good said.
“But the oil base paint gets recycled as blending fuel for its heating value,” he continued.
“Poisons and pesticides that we don’t want to dispose of at the landfill will be burned in the incinerator.”
Although residents came out in droves, Goodson said the next recycle event won’t be held until May 2008.
“There will probably be other hazardous events in other parishes, however this is an annual event for us,” he continued.
“We are really fortunate to have local companies that can take the scrap metal, the electronics and the fluorescent lamps, because its unusual to have those kinds of company nearby.”
Goodson said in many cases the materials would have to be sent to other states, but this area is fortunate to have recycle facilities right at their own backdoor.
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