A local hazardous waste facility is back up and running after being flooded out in the big January storm.
The Morro Bay Household Hazardous Waste Facility, located at the old sewer treatment plant at 160 Atascadero Rd., opened back up on Saturday, March 11 after the storm of Jan. 8-9 overflowed Morro Creek and flooded over a square mile of Main Street from Radcliff to Atascadero Road and down Atascadero Road through the City corp yard and old sewer plant. Both City facilities were flooded.
The flooding swamped equipment stored in the corp yard along with several vehicles owned by City workers that were parked across the street. It also swamped several pieces of heavy equipment owned by Anvil Builders, the company that put in the City’s new conveyance piping system for the Water Reclamation Facility Project.
Operated by the County Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA), the facility accepts household hazardous wastes, such as old paints, used motor oil, solvents, pesticides, and other items regularly found around the house that are dangerous to keep stored. It’s one of six such HHW drop-off facilities scattered throughout SLO County.
All of the HHWFs accept up to 15 gallons or 125 pounds of waste materials free of charge.
Household hazardous wastes must be disposed of at designated locations and times. Household hazardous waste should not be disposed of in the trash or in the gutter.
Hazardous waste disposed of in the trash poses a serious threat of injury to trash collectors and landfill operators. This kind of waste also creates environmental problems when disposed of improperly. For these reasons, disposal of hazardous waste is regulated and improper disposal is illegal. The penalties can be substantial.
There are five other household hazardous waste facilities in San Luis Obispo County besides Morro Bay’s. They are: Chicago Grade Landfill 2290 Homestead Rd., Templeton, call: (805) 782-8530 for information; Cold Canyon Landfill 2268 Carpenter Canyon Rd., SLO, call: (805) 782-8530; Heritage Ranch CSD, 4870 Heritage Rd., Paso Robles, call (805) 782-8530; Paso Robles Landfill, 9000 Hwy. 46 East, Paso Robles, call: (805) 238-2028.
These facilities do not accept radioactive, medical waste or explosives, the IWMA said. There are separate programs for proper disposal of batteries, CFLs, fluorescent tubes, mercury thermostats, medicine, needles and sharps, and paint. Empty containers may be discarded with the trash. For more information on proper disposal call (805) 782- 8530.
