Glasgow to hold event for disposing of household chemicals, old documents

This weekend, the city of Glasgow will once again give its citizens the chance to get rid of harmful household chemicals that are difficult to dispose of responsibly.

April Russell, the city’s grant writer, said Glasgow will host Household Hazardous Waste Day in conjunction with its recurring Free Shredder Day from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Beaver Creek Park.

“We do it to keep harmful chemicals out of landfills,” she said.

Glasgow’s website, cityofglasgow.org, features a list of acceptable items that includes acids, ammonias, batteries, bleach, fluorescent lights, pesticides, pool chemicals, paint and paint thinners, among others.

Russell said some items won’t be accepted, like latex paints, explosives, weapons, ammunition, tires, yard waste and large appliances.

The website said the event is hosted with the support of a $12,500 Kentucky Pride grant.

Russell said the response has been overwhelming, with more and more people taking advantage of Household Hazardous Waste Day each year it’s offered.

“The more people are learning about it, every year, we have more people that come,” she said.

The city’s Free Shredder Day allows people and businesses to dispose of old documents at the same time, Russell said, noting that three-ring binders and other items that include pieces of metal won’t be accepted.

Free Shredder Day began after the city got a grant to buy a large paper shredder and began offering the use of it to citizens in order to meet a need in the community.

“It was just a request that came up a lot,” she said.

Mayor Harold Armstrong said Household Hazardous Waste Day is popular because it gives Glasgow residents the chance to get rid of hazardous chemicals they don’t want in their house but can’t otherwise dispose of properly.

“It’s a way to clean out your garage of aerosols, herbicides, stuff like that that you normally can’t take to the landfill,” he said.

“It’s a day that we can give back to the city so we can make the city a little more environmentally friendly.”

Armstrong said he expects the event to be well-attended. “We always have a big turnout. We take a lot of things in and that’s why we keep having it, because there’s a big demand,” he said. “On the 24th, I expect it to be another big day.”

– Follow Daily News reporter Jackson French on Twitter @Jackson_French or visit bgdailynews.com.