Hello HHW family,
To prevent inbox clutter, I will touch on a few things in one email:
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Please save the date for our next HHW Roundtable meeting on
Monday, October 17th in Lansing
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Program updates (Steve Alworden – you’ll be there, right?)
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CESQG program discussion – possible input from MDEQ
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I went to an antique “mall” the other day and one of their vendors was selling an antique candy thermometer containing
mercury. I could not in good conscience leave without informing the owner it is illegal to sell mercury thermometers in Michigan. She knew of the law but didn’t know the vendor had one in their display. She wouldn’t let me take it to recycle properly
through our HHW program but assured me she would bag it and place it behind the counter until she could speak with the vendor and get it recycled.
Please be on the lookout for mercury-containing devices if you visit antique stores or attend estate sales. The vendor may have second thoughts about selling an item containing mercury if you explain the dangers of mercury and that
cleanup can cost thousands of dollars if the item was broken or started leaking in their store. It floors me how many people still don’t know the health hazards of mercury. I know we’ve all heard “…but I played with it as a kid…”
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Along the same lines, please watch out for “antique” pesticides being sold. I got after a store trying to sell a DDT container (original product still inside) and it was so old the container wasn’t even child-proof! Major safety
issue. It is illegal to sell/re-sell pesticides without proper licensing. Please refer them to your local Clean Sweep program for proper disposal. If they are not willing to follow the guidance, you may contact or refer them to Brian Verhougstraete, Acting
Pesticide Section Manager with MDARD at 517-284-5655.
Thank you for all of your ongoing efforts in protecting our environment.
Cindy Foster
Household Hazardous Waste Specialist
HHW Center
269-383-8742