Report on the 2025 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event

Event Summary

The Wayne Township Landfill (WTL) conducted its annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection event at its facility on Pine Mountain Road. The initiative provided a crucial service for the community, enabling residents to dispose of hazardous materials in an environmentally responsible manner. The primary objective was to divert harmful substances from the landfill, thereby supporting local and global sustainability efforts.

Key Outcomes and Metrics

The event recorded significant community engagement and achieved its collection targets. The successful execution was managed by WTL employees who assisted residents with vehicle check-ins and the safe removal of materials.

• Community Participation: 98 households from Clinton County attended the event.
• Materials Diverted from Landfill:
  1. Car Batteries Recycled: 775 pounds
  2. Used Oil Recycled: Over 268 gallons

Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This community initiative directly advances several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its focus on responsible waste management and environmental protection.

• SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: The event epitomizes the environmentally sound management of waste. By collecting and recycling hazardous materials, the program reduces pollution and promotes a circular economy, directly aligning with SDG 12’s targets on waste reduction.
• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: Providing accessible and safe disposal options for hazardous waste is a cornerstone of sustainable urban and community management. This event enhances the environmental health and safety of Clinton County, making it a more sustainable place to live.
• SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation: By preventing hazardous liquids like used oil and battery acid from leaching into the ground, the program protects local water tables and surface water from contamination, securing clean water resources for the future.
• SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being: Proper disposal of hazardous waste mitigates the risk of soil, water, and air pollution, which can have severe public health implications. This initiative safeguards community health by ensuring these substances are handled correctly.
• SDG 14 & 15 – Life Below Water and Life on Land: The collection effort is a direct action to prevent land-based pollution from damaging terrestrial ecosystems and flowing into waterways, thus protecting biodiversity both on land and in aquatic environments.

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

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• The article discusses a community-level initiative, the “Household Hazardous Waste Collection event,” organized by the Wayne Township Landfill for Clinton County residents. This action directly contributes to making a human settlement safer and more sustainable by managing hazardous waste effectively.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• The core focus of the event is the proper disposal and recycling of hazardous materials like car batteries and oil. This aligns with ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns by promoting recycling and the environmentally sound management of waste.

SDG 14: Life Below Water & SDG 15: Life on Land

• The article states the goal of the event is to ensure hazardous items “don’t end up in our landfill.” By preventing hazardous waste from entering the landfill, the initiative helps to prevent the contamination of soil and groundwater (Life on Land) and, subsequently, rivers and oceans (Life Below Water) from land-based pollution sources.

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

Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities

• The event is a direct action to “reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to… municipal and other waste management.” The collection of hazardous waste is a key component of specialized waste management in the Clinton County community.

Target 12.4: Environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes

• The collection and recycling of car batteries (containing lead and acid) and oil is a clear example of achieving “the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil.”

Target 12.5: Substantially reduce waste generation

• The article highlights that the collected materials were recycled. This directly supports the goal to “substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.” The event focuses specifically on the “recycling” aspect for hazardous materials.

Target 14.1: Reduce marine pollution

• By ensuring the proper disposal of hazardous waste, the initiative helps to “prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities.” Preventing oil and battery chemicals from leaching out of a landfill is a preventative measure against land-based pollution that can enter waterways.

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

• Amount of hazardous waste collected and recycled: The article provides specific quantitative data that serves as a direct indicator of progress. It states, “we recycled 775 pounds of car batteries and over 268 gallons of oil.” This measures the volume of hazardous waste diverted from the landfill, which is a key performance indicator for targets 11.6, 12.4, and 12.5.
• Number of participating households: The article mentions that “98 Clinton County households” participated. This is an indicator of community engagement and the reach of the waste management program, relevant for measuring the effectiveness of initiatives under Target 11.6.
• Frequency of the program: The article describes the event as the “annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection event.” The regularity of the event is an implicit indicator of a sustained commitment and an established process for managing hazardous waste, contributing to the long-term achievement of the identified targets.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

Source: lockhaven.com