The Tulsa Authority for the Recovery of Energy and the City of Tulsa have announced Tulsa’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection days at the Tulsa Fairgrounds in conjunction with the Metropolitan Environmental Trust .
The collection event will be held Nov. 1 – 2, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Tulsa Fairgrounds, 15th and Sandusky, Gate 7.
TARE contracts with the M.e.t. to hold the free hazardous collection event twice a year for Tulsa residents. Residents may bring household items that contain chemicals and drop them off where they will be handled by City of Tulsa staff and volunteers for safe disposal.
Cleaners, pesticides, fertilizers, automotive fluids, cooking oil, batteries, all fluorescent light bulbs, small ammunition, smoke alarms, aerosol paint, hobby paint, pool chemicals, and items containing mercury, gasoline, and unused or out-of-date prescription medications, will all be accepted.
The TARE board authorizes the M.e.t.’s expenditures of $289,000 for the two Household Hazardous Waste Collection events. An average of 45 City of Tulsa solid waste and environmental science specialists, educators and staff members work the event alongside the M.e.t. employees and volunteers. The City of Tulsa covers the annual overtime cost for its staff, totaling approximately $18,000 for each event, $36,000 annually.
“TARE has been funding the Hazardous Waste Collection events for 21 years, which gives residents the opportunity to dispose of their unwanted or unused toxic household items for free and in an environmentally friendly way,” TARE Chairman Paul White said. “We would like to thank the M.e.t. for being such a great partner and taking the lead in providing this important community service. Next weekend's event simply would not be possible without the M.e.t. and support of the many City of Tulsa staff and volunteers.”
In addition to the Hazardous Waste Collection events, the TARE board, a group of Tulsa citizen volunteers who set the policy and contract for Tulsa’s refuse disposal and recycling services, also authorizes payment of $264,000 for the M.e.t.’s operations and recycling depots in Tulsa.