Pierce County will provide free disposal for Pierce County households and farmers of unwanted medications and hazardous wastes during the county Fall Clean Sweep Event scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Pierce County Solid Waste Department/Recycling Center (707 N. Maple St., Ellsworth). A charge may be applied for large loads of household hazardous waste/paints.

Unwanted medications will also be collected at this same event that will be accepting pesticides, fertilizers, solvents, fuels, cleaning agents, lead, oil and latex based paints, and other chemicals from households and farmers in the county.

Businesses and institutions in the county are also welcome to participate in the event. Businesses and institutions must be pre-registered prior to Sept. 20 and may pay a fee for the service if large loads.

County households, farmers, and business people are encouraged to look through their barns, sheds, garages, basements, storage cabinets, and under the kitchen and bathroom sinks for any and, all unwanted chemicals and paints.

Look in your medicine cabinets too, for any and, all old/unused/unwanted medications. Empty your medications into a bag for collection at the event. Then, black out personal information on the original container and place that empty original container in your trash. Needles or other medical sharps are NOT accepted at this event or facility.

All materials with package or container labels displaying a consumer alert (words like "WARNING, CAUTION, DANGER, CORROSIVE, TOXIC, FLAMMABLE, HAZARDOUS, POISON") can be, taken to the Clean Sweep; along with all lead, oil and latex paint, including aerosol paints. Any latex paint hardened-in-the-can, you discard in your regular garbage.

We accept non-hazardous bulky waste on a regular basis 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (bring in by 2 p.m. if you need help unloading) for a charge. There will be a charge for these items during Clean Sweep events also. Only hazardous and pharmaceutical items will be free for disposal on Clean Sweep event days. Household garbage/trash/food is never accepted at the recycling center. Recycled materials like plastic bottles, cans, cardboard, paper, waste oil, cooking oil, antifreeze, and scrap metals can be brought in anytime at no charge.

Clean Sweeps happen twice a year, once in Spring (April) and once in the Fall (September). The next Clean Sweep will be in April 2025, watch your 2025 Recycling Guide for future dates. For more information: Contact the Pierce County Solid Waste Office at 715-273-3092.

Submitted by Pierce County Solid Waste Department