Refuse district takes over hazardous waste collection

By Rebecca Rattner - July 6, 2006

On an Island with one source of fresh water, the way residents dispose of toxic or hazardous household materials is of especial concern. Keeping those materials out of Island drains led to the creation of the well known hazardous materials collection program, which was started by the late Nellie Mendenhall two decades ago. Now, the administration and location of that program is about to change.

For the past 10 years, Joe Alosso, Edgartown Wastewater Plant manager, organized and ran the hazardous waste collection program under a contract with the Martha's Vineyard Regional Refuse District. That contract, which paid him $2,400 annually, expired on June 30.

Although the next collection, on July 15, will be at its customary location at the Edgartown Wastewater Plant on the Edgartown-West Tisbury Road, Mr. Alosso said this week that the district will now administer the program and plans to move future collections to the transfer station facility near the Martha's Vineyard Airport.

Mr. Alosso explained that by consolidating the operation the refuse district could provide "one-stop" disposal service. He said that he is proud of the program and what it accomplished. Mr. Alosso said the wastewater plant always seemed like a natural collection point because whatever people poured down the drains ended up in the system or in their on-lot septic systems. One side benefit, he said, was that the public had an opportunity to see that the wastewater facility was clean and odor-free.

The next household hazardous waste collection will be held on Saturday, July 15, from 9 am to noon. Items that may be brought to the collection site include household cleaners, gasoline, glues, and bleach. Explosives and medical devices are not accepted. There is also a 15-gallon limit on the amount of oil-based paint accepted. There is no charge to dispose of any items except motor oil, which costs $1 per gallon.

A list of items accepted and not accepted is available at mvtimes.com.

Mr. Alosso said that the last collection held on May 20 attracted 151 cars representing 232 homes. However, he encouraged more people to take advantage of the opportunity to dispose of materials. Anyone with questions can contact Mr. Alosso at 508-627-5482.