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August 1, 2017

Preparing your HCW collection for transport - tips & guidelines.

Appointment made – check.

Directions verified – check.

Driver confirmed – check.

Complete triple-quadruple chemical waste scan through entire living vicinity (including the parents, siblings and super-friendly-pool-owning-azalea-growing neighbors) – check.

Now, how do I get it from here to the SWALCO???

1. Safety first – contain, wrap or seal ANY leaking items before transporting.

2. Exclude all non-accepted items (garbage, empty containers, latex paint, needles, epipens, propane tanks, lead-acid batteries, medical wastes, etc.)

3. Gather disposable totes or boxes to hold your chemical collection during transport.

4. Fill totes and/or boxes with your HCW items – try to keep similar items together if possible.

5. DO NOT double-stack your items, all of your items should be visible. This important detail provides prompt information and can help our team identify potential hazards.

6. DO NOT use plastic bags for transport – items “bounce around” during travel and can cause accidental discharge of chemicals! Overfilled/heavy bags can easily rip during loading and unloading, upping the potential for reactions, spills and leaks (Remember, safety first!)

7. Whenever possible, remove anything that is NOT designated waste from your loading area (A.K.A. - trunk, backseat, truck bed).

8. Put our name on the TOTE/BOX (FOR SWALCO-thanks!). We will ONLY remove what is labeled for disposal. By gathering and labeling your drop-off items you will help limit any confusion about the items to be collected by our team.

9. Please remain in your vehicle throughout the collection process. Accidents can occur (a split plastic bag for instance, or misstep on the pavement) – we must guard against any unnecessary risks.

10. If you have further questions, simply let us know but please remain in your vehicle.

Other guidelines worth mentioning...

Please drive slow – these events are fluid, our team is always in motion, please keep your enthusiasm high and your vehicle speed low!

Please stick with your appointment slot if visiting our Gurnee Facility – we allow folks to wander in 15 minutes before or after the booked appointment slot, that’s a 30-minute swing, anytime earlier or later impacts folks with appointments in different time slots – please be considerate. (Psst..Our MOBILE events don’t require appointments.)

Please don’t bring “EMPTIES” – you can recycle nearly all plastic/metal containers, even with residual waste inside. Empty motor oils, gasoline and antifreeze containers are EXCLUDED from the recycling option - these are now regular trash items. Motor oil, gasoline and antifreeze residuals will contaminate all other recyclables, don't mess with all your good work! Aerosol cans are fully recyclable if they are empty and depressurized! Empty propane tanks can be recycled at your local scrap yard. And we really, really don’t want your empty shampoo bottles!!

Please don’t attempt to “HIDE” unaccepted items in another container. Chemical reactions can occur under all types of conditions, even the tiniest of mixes can become toxic – this is dangerous not only for you, our staff and facility but also to the surrounding communities.