JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — Twenty minutes in line was a small price to pay for many county residents seeking to get rid of hazardous chemicals and batteries. The county’s 2024 Household Hazardous Waste collection event took place Saturday at A-Tech. People hoping to get rid of batteries or chemicals entered the A-Tech complex and were guided by orange-jacketed employees of the county and the city of Ashtabula.
An environmental company from the Cincinnati area handled all of the chemicals, placing them in containers to be discarded, Jake Brand, director of the Ashtabula County Department of Planning and Development, said. He said the average wait last year was about 20 minutes, and it was about the same this year. Brand said the parking lot was set up around 8:15 a.
m., and people were in-line waiting their turn to discard chemicals at the official start time of 9 a.m.
Brand said the county has been sponsoring the event for 16 years, and A-Tech has been an excellent partner in hosting the once-a-year event. Motor oil, oil-based paint, fuel and many other items were brought to the school on Saturday morning. Brand said the company had a chemist on-site.
They tested any items that needed further review so they knew how to dispose of them. The event is helpful for area residents who might have to pay hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars depending on the item. Four county employees were on-site to help guide people through the parking lot, and the Ashtabula Wastewater Plant had an.
