Report on the Franklin County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Initiative

Executive Summary and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Franklin County Solid Waste Management District has scheduled its annual household hazardous waste collection event for Saturday, September 20. This initiative provides a critical service for the safe and environmentally sound disposal of hazardous materials, directly supporting several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By managing chemical and hazardous waste, the program makes a significant contribution to:

• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): The event’s primary objective is the environmentally sound management of hazardous waste, reducing its release to air, water, and soil to minimize adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Proper disposal of hazardous substances prevents contamination and potential health risks associated with improper storage or disposal in household trash.
• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The collection prevents hazardous chemicals from leaching into groundwater and surface water systems, protecting water quality for communities and ecosystems.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Providing safe and accessible hazardous waste disposal services is a cornerstone of sustainable municipal waste management, making communities safer and more resilient.
• SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land): The initiative mitigates pollution of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems that would otherwise result from hazardous waste entering landfills and waterways.

Event Logistics

• Date: Saturday, September 20
• Collection Sites:
  • Greenfield Community College
  • Orange Transfer Station
• Organizing Body: Franklin County Solid Waste Management District

Participant Registration and Protocol

Pre-registration is mandatory for all residents and businesses. The deadline for registration is September 10.

1. Registration: Participants must register online at franklincountywastedistrict.org or submit a mail-in registration form. Forms are available at participating town transfer stations and town halls.
2. Appointment Assignment: Following registration processing, participants will be mailed an assigned appointment time and detailed instructions for their chosen collection site.

Eligibility and Fees

• Residents of Participating Towns: The service is provided free of charge to residents of the 24 participating municipalities.
• Barre and Sunderland Residents: Participation is permitted but requires payment for disposal services.
• Businesses: Businesses are eligible to participate but are required to cover the full cost of disposal. Business registration information can be obtained by calling 413-772-2438.

List of Participating Municipalities

• Athol
• Bernardston
• Buckland
• Charlemont
• Colrain
• Conway
• Deerfield
• Erving
• Gill
• Hawley
• Heath
• Leverett
• Montague
• New Salem
• Northfield
• Orange
• Petersham
• Phillipston
• Rowe
• Royalston
• Shelburne
• Warwick
• Wendell
• Whately

Waste Acceptance Guidelines

Accepted Hazardous Materials

A comprehensive list of acceptable items is available on the district’s website. Commonly accepted materials include:

• Oil-based paints, stains, and thinners
• Pesticides and herbicides
• Pool chemicals
• Motor oil and antifreeze
• Household cleaners and other chemicals

Prohibited Materials and Alternative Disposal

Certain items will not be accepted at this event to ensure compliance with specialized recycling protocols. These materials should never be placed in standard trash or recycling bins.

• Batteries and Mercury-Containing Items: This includes fluorescent light bulbs, thermometers, and thermostats.
• Disposal Instructions: These items must be taken to a municipal transfer station and given directly to an attendant. Alternative recycling options include:
  • Fluorescent Bulbs: Lowe’s stores (all types) and Home Depot (CFLs only).
  • Batteries: Staples stores accept most types for recycling.

Contact for Further Information

For additional details, please contact the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District:

• Website: franklincountywastedistrict.org
• Email: info@franklincountywastedistrict.org
• Telephone: 413-772-2438

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article addresses public health by describing a program for the safe disposal of hazardous household materials. Items such as “pesticides, herbicides, pool chemicals, motor oil, antifreeze” and mercury-containing products can contaminate soil and water sources if disposed of improperly, leading to potential health risks for the community. The collection event helps mitigate these risks by preventing human exposure to hazardous substances.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The initiative is a clear example of municipal waste management organized by the “Franklin County Solid Waste Management District” for 24 participating towns. By providing a structured and safe way to handle hazardous waste, the community is actively working to reduce its adverse environmental impact, a key component of creating sustainable living environments.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  The article’s main theme is the environmentally sound management of waste, which is central to SDG 12. The program encourages responsible disposal of consumer products at the end of their life, ensuring that “hazardous items… should not be put in the trash.” It promotes practices that reduce pollution and supports the principles of a circular economy by directing specific items like batteries and fluorescent bulbs to recycling facilities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The collection event directly supports this target by preventing hazardous chemicals and heavy metals (like mercury) from being released into the local environment, thereby reducing soil and water contamination.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. The article details a specific municipal waste management service focused on hazardous materials, which is a critical function for reducing a community’s environmental footprint.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  • Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. The event is a direct implementation of this target, providing a formal system for the proper disposal of household hazardous waste.
  • Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. The article contributes to the “recycling” aspect of this target by explicitly stating that batteries and mercury-containing items should be taken to designated recycling locations, including “municipal transfer station,” “Lowe’s stores,” “Home Depot,” and “Staples stores.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not provide quantitative data but implies several indicators that could be used to measure the program’s impact:

• Existence of a hazardous waste management program: The “annual household hazardous waste collection” itself is a qualitative indicator that the community has a policy and program in place for the environmentally sound management of waste (relevant to Target 12.4).
• Program Reach and Participation: The number of “participating towns” (24 free, 2 paying) serves as an indicator of the program’s geographic coverage. Furthermore, the requirement for residents and businesses to “register” implies that the number of participants is a trackable metric for community engagement (relevant to Target 11.6).
• Amount of Waste Diverted: While not stated, the primary metric for a waste collection event is the total volume or weight of hazardous materials collected. This would be a direct indicator of the amount of pollution prevented (relevant to Targets 3.9 and 12.4).
• Availability of Recycling Infrastructure: The mention of specific locations for recycling items not accepted at the main event (e.g., batteries at Staples, fluorescent bulbs at Lowe’s) indicates the existence of a broader infrastructure for waste stream separation and recycling (relevant to Target 12.5).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: recorder.com