Now is the time for Calhoun County residents to begin clearing hazardous waste and scrap tires from the family homestead. It’s an age-old problem that has plagued humanity since environmental awareness struck the community. In times past, our forefathers simply chucked that half-empty paint can into the trash bin and it was mission accomplished. But times have changed, with the awareness that many of the household items that have lost their usefulness cannot be simply tossed into the dumpster and carted off to the landfill. Many items contain toxic substances that leach into the water table and eventually out of that annoying dripping faucet in the kitchen.  

And then there is the problem with that old tire that has been resting outside, behind the garage, collecting water and becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes. You can’t just toss that thing anywhere, and the local auto shop will probably charge you a few bucks to take it out of your hands. Calhoun County feels your pain, and to combat the nasty infiltration of unwanted chemicals and mosquito-borne viruses, they are conducting two waste collection events to address these problems. 

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A hazardous waste collection will take place at Bailey Park, in Battle Creek, on October 10th, where household hazardous waste, such as oil-based paint, solvents, acids, pesticides, and batteries will be collected. And just weeks later, a scrap tire collection will be held on October 24th in Tekonsha.  

The list of accepted and unaccepted waste is quite lengthy and can be viewed below. Times and locations of the events are included:  

Household Hazardous Waste 

Monday, October 10, 2022
2:30 PM - 5:30 PM.
Bailey Park
1350 Capital Ave. NE, Battle Creek 
Participants will use Wagner Dr. to enter the event. The collection will take place in the parking lot south of CO Brown Stadium. Vehicles will exit the park onto Capital Ave. NE.  

ITEMS ACCEPTED: 

  • Oil-based paint, fuels (in fuel cans) 
  • Solvents, acids, bases, pesticides, household cleaners 
  • Mercury 
  • Medications, sharps (inside a rigid puncture-resistant container with lid) 
  • Household batteries, fluorescent light bulbs 
  • Motor oil, oil filters, antifreeze 
  • Propane cylinders, gas cylinders (NO foam insulation) 
  • Fire extinguishers, aerosol cans 
  • PCB and non-PCB lamp ballasts, oxidizers 
  • Self-heating solids, flammable solids/liquids, toxic inorganics/organics, lighters, chlorophenols 
  • Lead 
  • Self-defense spray, peroxides, water-reactives, isocyanates, and cyanide. 
    NOT ACCEPTED:  
  • Latex paint, school chemicals 
  • Biologically active material 
  • home-use insulation spraying cylinders 
  • Ammunition, weapons, explosives, and radioactive material (including smoke detectors).  
  • Household Hazardous Waste collections do not include trash, tires, yard waste, construction/demolition waste, appliances, or industrial/business-generated waste. These items are not defined as household hazardous waste.
    Please separate the paint from the rest of your items. Pack your items, so the containers will remain upright, and spills can be contained. Plastic buckets and totes with solid bottoms collect and contain spills better than cardboard boxes. Please label all items that are not in their original packaging. We can’t guarantee that your oil and gas containers will be returned.  

Scrap Tire Collection 

Monday, October 24, 2022
12 Noon - 5 PM
Tekonsha Village Offices
 537 N. Church St., Tekonsha 
Participants will use the driveway closest to the Village Offices to enter the event. Tires will be unloaded at the rear of the semi-trailer. Vehicles will exit using the driveway closest to the semi-trailer. 

  • Only residential passenger vehicle tires will be accepted.  
  • EGLE Scrap Tire Grant rules limit the number of scrap tires brought by a resident to 10 tires (this is the amount of tires anyone can haul without requiring a scrap tire hauler registration).  
  • Commercial businesses may NOT bring tires to the cleanup event. The event is limited to household and residential scrap tires ONLY. A commercial “farm” or “farm operation” as defined in the Michigan Right to Farm Act is a commercial business.  
    Residents are encouraged to properly dispose of tires (such as paying the disposal fee when buying new tires), rather than taking the scrap tires home.  
    The event may end early if the trailer is full. No early tire drop-off is allowed. This collection is funded by an EGLE Scrap Tire Cleanup Grant. 

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