Safe Flood Debris Clean Up

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release – July 14, 2023

Media Contact:
Josh Kelly, Solid Waste Program Manager
Department of Environmental Conservation
802-522-5897, Josh.Kelly@vermont.gov

Montpelier, Vt. – Recovering from this week’s flooding event will be a challenge for many Vermonters across the state. Cleaning up and disposing of items damaged by floodwaters is yet another painstaking task. Unfortunately, along with the damaged belongings from your home or business lurks hazardous items, such as paint, chemicals, oil, gas, pesticides, caustic cleaners, and other materials.

To protect yourself or your clean up crew, remember to:

Wear gloves and other protective equipment.
Avoid dangerous and contaminated floodwaters.
Take frequent breaks and ask for help.

To protect solid waste workers and the environment, it is critical that residents, businesses, contractors, and clean-up crews remember to:

Separate hazardous items from trash (see the list below).
Contact your Solid Waste District or town at www.802recycles.com to learn about household hazardous waste services. Flood damaged appliances, electronics, batteries, and tires can be brought to most local transfer stations for safe disposal and recycling.
Avoid dumping or spilling hazardous materials on the ground or into the water.
Safely store hazardous items until they can be disposed of properly.

Keep these items separate from trash:

Dangerous wastes such as toxics, pesticides, explosives, gasoline, oil, pool chemicals, acids, drain cleaner, fireworks, flares, ammo, unprotected “sharps”
Appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, washers, dryers, scrap metal
Mercury products such as fluorescent bulbs, thermostats, thermometers
Hazardous Waste
Oil, brake cleaner, other toxic car products
Paint, stain, varnish, paint thinner/stripper
Propane cylinders, other gas cylinders
Batteries and electronics
Tires

Learn more about our solid waste program. For media questions, please contact Josh Kelly at 802-522-5897 or Josh.Kelly@vermont.gov or Mia Roethlein at 802-522-5926 or Mia.Roethlein@vermont.gov.

For more information on flood recovery resources from the Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Department, or the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, visit https://ANR.Vermont.gov/Flood.

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