Where to take your and other garbage that you can’t put on the curb

The Cities of Bastrop, Elgin, and Smithville, Bastrop County, and Keep Bastrop County Beautiful, as well as many other organizations and every individual who resides here, are partners in helping to keep Bastrop County clean. On average, it costs about $60 per household to dispose of hazardous (HHW) in Bastrop County. Every two or three years, agencies are awarded grants or other funding to subsidize household hazardous waste (HHW) collection events, but that is clearly not enough to keep up with the problem.

This Guidebook is intended to help families find alternative locations to bring their HHW more often, so that people don’t keep these products for years at a time Following these guidelines may also help reduce the need for huge clean-up events that may not be able to serve everyone who comes, or may not reach everyone who would want to clean out their garages and attics. Why can’t we throw it in the trash? Medical Waste Proper disposal of HHW is important not only due to environmental concerns, but also for Non-controlled medications should not be flushed down the toilet, but may be thrown in the personal health and well being of sanitation workers and the public at large. Poisons in your trash. Put medications in a sealable bag with coffee grounds or kitty litter to make it the home are dangerous. According to statistics from the National Capital Poison Center: undesirable to animals or people and put it in with your regular trash. (For more information: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ • There is one exposure to poison every 14 seconds in the US. BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingOver-the-CounterMedicines/ucm107163.pdf) • More than two million poisonings are reported annually. • The majority of poisonings involve everyday household items such as cleaning Disposing of Syringes from Households supplies, medicines, cosmetics and personal care items. (from TCEQ flier GI-418 available at http://www.tceq.texas.gov/publications/gi/gi-418.html) • 89 percent of all poisonings occur in the home. Syringes (also “sharps” or “needles”) CAN go into the regular trash, but you MUST follow these • 75 percent of poisonings are ingestion of a substance. guidelines: • Children and Poison: • Place needles and syringes in a hard plastic or metal container with a tightly 53 percent of poisonings occur in children under the age of six. secured lid. DO NOT use see-through plastic containers or any glass. A laundry Child poisonings under the age of six represent 2 percent of poison fatalities. detergent or bleach bottle makes a great container. • Label the container “syringes” or “sharps” or “needles.” Facts Poison Exposures in the United States (Source: http://www.poison.org/prevent/documents/poison%20stats.pdf) • Keep the container out of the reach of children and pets. Proper Management of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) is important to the community • When the container is full, seal it and reinforce its lid with heavy-duty tape. because it affects: • Dispose of the sealed container in the household trash. • The safety of sanitation workers • DO NOT use thin plastics like soda bottles. • Costs due to damage of municipal equipment • DO NOT put the container in with any recycling. • HAZMAT cleanup costs • DO NOT throw loose needles or syringes in the household garbage. Loose • Potential dangers to homeowners needles are a danger to everyone, especially trash collectors because they may • Environmental Degradation cause accidental needlestick injuries that require emergency medical care. • Economic Development: A clean community signals pride in the community and • REMEMBER: The thicker the wall, the safer the container. is good for business! Paint (empty or mostly empty cans of latex paint) If your can is less than 1/4 full, remove the lid and place the can in a well-ventilated area. How can I manage HHW at my house? The paint will dry in a few days. Once dry, the can may be thrown in your trash. Remember Local programs can help you dispose of HHW properly, but you can decrease the HHW you oil based paint is a “household chemical” and must be dispose of as listed. keep in your own home by considering some simple guidelines: City of Austin : (http://austintexas.gov/hhw) Many household hazardous can be brought to the City of Austin Resource Recovery REDUCE the amount of HHW you keep in your house by buying only what you need to do the Center, but residents from outside of Austin will have to pay a fee (see WEBSITE for a current job. Buying chemicals in bulk may not be saving you money if you do not use all of it. This will schedule of fees). In addition, they offer free chemicals and latex paint to anyone, regardless also help you avoid a cluttered cabinet of chemicals that you will one day have to get rid of. of residency, although they will limit quantities provided for free. For painting projects, know the size of your area and use an online paint calculator to Free Chemicals at the Store: Many brand new or slightly used items are brought determine how many gallons you should buy. to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility. Instead of disposing of them, the facility gives them Think REUSE. If you know a friend, relative, or neighbor who can use unexpired chemicals to people who can use them. You do NOT need to be an Austin resident to get the free goods, or paint in good condition with, pass it on! You will save yourself and other in expense and although they do limit quantities that may be taken at one time. Items are free, and may include: convenience. • Automotive Fluids (For more information: http://www.tceq.texas.gov/p2/hhw/hhw.html) • Cleaning Products Help us keep this information up to date! • Fertilizers If you know of a facility not mentioned here, or if something in this guide changes, please • Paint contact Keep Bastrop County Beautiful at CONTACT INFORMATION • Pesticides • Solvents Additional Information • Other Household Chemicals Austin ReBlend Paint: Residents looking to save money when refurbishing their homes Household Hazardous Waste: A Guide for Texans (http://www.tceq.texas.gov/p2/hhw/hhw.html) now have a free resource - Austin ReBlend paint, made from paint collected at the Household This website provides helpful information for individuals about the household hazardous Hazardous Waste Facility. You do NOT have to be an Austin resident to get the free paint, although waste (HHW) program: what is HHW, what can you do with it, and who can accept it? they do limit quantities that may be taken at one time. (http://austintexas.gov/department/austin-reblend ) Bastrop County Household Hazardous Waste and Recycling Permanent Collection Sites

MH, etc -

Waste

(pesticides, cleaners, paint and thinners)

- / Notes / Cad,LI, Ni

- Tin Tires Steel Oil FiltersOil Newsprint Cardboard Appliances Latex Paint (Jars and Bottles) Other

acid (car) Batteries lectronic - E Plastics (varying #s) Household Batteries Plastic Shopping Bags General / Other Metal and/or Automotive Fluids Glass

Lead Residential Paper Waste CFL or Fluorescent Tubes Aluminum (C=Cans Only) Freon Recovery / Disposal Oil Rechargeable Ni City (B=Bastrop,City E=Elgin, S=Smithville pool oil chemicals,, Bulky Pickup (Furniture,debris, yard etc.) Household Chemicals Accepts HHW from non-residents for a fee: City of Austin Resource Recovery X X X X X X X X contact them for more information Organizations must be qualified to Abitibi X X participate in program—must generate at least 2 tons of paper each month Salford Disposal Curbside garbage pickup in designated areas Curbside Residential Recycling in B Elgin and Bastrop Republic Services * Accepted at the main facility only E X * * X X X X X X † ∞ (Formerly Allied Waste) † Appliances must be tagged “Freon Free” S ∞ Bulky pick up for Elgin every 1st and 3rd Monday (call ahead: 1-800-252-3586) Autozone-Bastrop B X Accepts any auto fluid up to 5 gal/day All auto fluids as long as there is no water in Barnard Tire Company B X X container. Call for fee for tires.

Bastrop (City) Transfer Station B X No brush.

No limbs or trees. Metal is free. Call for fees

Bastrop County Transfer Station B X X X X X X

on tires and other waste.

MH, etc - Bastrop Metal Recycling B X X X X X Also: Wires, Copper

Best Buy B X Call for limitations.

Waste

Goodwill Industries B X (pesticides, cleaners, paint and thinners)

- / Notes / Cad,LI, Ni

- Tin

HEB-Bastrop B X Tires Steel Oil FiltersOil

Newsprint Service is for homeowners only, not Cardboard Appliances Latex Paint (Jars and Bottles) Other

Home Depot B acid (car) Batteries X X lectronic - businesses. E Plastics (varying #s) Household Batteries Also accepts bagged household garbage and Plastic Shopping Bags General / Other Metal and/or Automotive Fluids Glass

Lone Star Disposal & Lead Residential Paper Waste CFL or Fluorescent Tubes Aluminum (C=Cans Only)

B X X X X X X X X X Freon Recovery / Disposal X some construction debris. No ceramics, Transfer Station Oil concrete or bricks! No hazardous waste. Rechargeable Ni

Lowe’s B (B=Bastrop,City E=Elgin, S=Smithville X X pool oil chemicals,, Bulky Pickup (Furniture,debris, yard etc.) O’Reilly Auto Parts-Bastrop B X X X Household Chemicals Radio Shack-Bastrop B X 1 X Ink Cartridge Rewards Program * Cell phones, pagers, selected batteries & Staples Office Supplies B * computers; also, businesscopiers, faxes, etc. Call for details. Walmart B X Residential Garbage Collection ATEX Disposal E * * * * * * * Recycling for The Colony Only Autozone-Elgin E X CAM Disposal E Garbage collection only HEB-Elgin E X X Jay’s Automotive E X X X X Call for charge on tires and batteries O’Reilly Auto Parts-Elgin E X X X Radio Shack-Elgin E X River Valley Farmers Market E Egg Cartons, Canning Jars, Clean Plastic Bags Brookshire Brothers S X Smithville Recycling S X X X X X X X X X X X Call for fee on garbage. Smithville Transfer Station S X X X X X X Call for info on Residential Bulky Pick Up See info on Smithville’sScrap Metal Program The Shred Guy S X Mobile Shredding Unit

2

Locations of Recycling/Household Jay’s Automotive Salford Disposal (512) 281 4818 (512) 834-8139 Hazardous Sites 301 S. Main Street, Ste. B Elgin, TX 7862 Smithville Recycling Abitibi Best Buy-Bastrop http://www.ci.smithville.tx.us/Public- www.paperretriever.com www.bestbuy.com Lowe’s Works.aspx for information about their free (512) 308-5849 www.lowes.com (512) 321 1695 program for nonprofits and schools 761 Hwy 71 West (512) 321 0460 Hwy 95, Across from Brookshire Bastrop TX 78602 719 Hwy 71 West Brothers Grocery Store between ATEX Disposal Bastrop, TX 78602 Riverside Exxon and Shirocky & Son (512) 281-4224 Brookshire Brothers Smithville, TX 78957 PO Box 956 (512) 237-4401 O’Reilly Auto Parts-Bastrop Open 24-hours, 7 days/week Elgin TX 78621 501 Texas Loop 230 www.oreillyauto.com Smithville, TX 78957 (512) 321-0703 Staples Office Supplies Austin (City of) 505 W. Hwy 71 http://austintexas.gov/hhw www.staples.com CAM Disposal Bastrop, TX 78602 (512) 308 9005 (512) 974-4343 www.camdisposal.com 767 Hwy 71 West 2514 Business Center Drive (512) 285-4700 O’Reilly Auto Parts-Elgin Bastrop, TX 78602 Austin, 78744 274 Hwy 95 South www.oreillyauto.com Tuesday - Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Elgin, TX 78621 (512)285 3491 The Shred Guy Saturday: 7 a.m. – Noon 254 Hwy 290 www.theshredguy.net Accepts HHW from non-residents for a Goodwill Industries Elgin, TX 78621 (512) 797 2630 fee: contact them for more information http://www.goodwill.org/ PO Box 384 (512) 308-9863 Radio Shack-Bastrop Smithville, TX 78957 Autozone 57 West Loop 150 www.radioshack.com www.autozone.com Bastrop, TX, 78602 (512) 332-0151 Walmart (512) 285 4601 494 Hwy 71 West #130 www.walmart.com 411 US Hwy 290 E HEB-Bastrop Bastrop, TX 78602 (512) 321 2288 Elgin, TX 78621 www.heb.com 488 Hwy 71 West (512) 321 1011 Radio Shack-Elgin Bastrop, TX 78602 Autozone 104 North Hasler www.radioshack.com www.autozone.com Bastrop, TX 78602 (512) 281 0662 (512) 285 4601 224 W. Hwy 290 City of Smithville Metal 529 Hwy 71 W HEB-Elgin Elgin, TX 78621 Bastrop, TX 78602 www.heb.com Scrap Metal accepted for free: proceeds (512) 285 4168 Republic Services go to projects like the Veterans Barnard Tire Company 1080 Hwy 290E (512) 247 5647 Memorial Park, Independence Park, (512) 321 4506 Elgin, TX 78621 PO Box 820 and the new Public Library. You can 1501 Chestnut Street Del Valle, TX 78617 drop off scrap metal at the Smithville Bastrop, TX 78602 Home Depot City Yard (1000 MLK Blvd) on Mondays- www.homedepot.com River Valley Farmers Market Thursdays from 8AM-3:30PM or call Bastrop Metal Recycling (512) 308 1022 www.rivervalleyfarmersmarket.com for appointments (512-237-3282). (512) 321 1695 525 Hwy 71 (512) 856 0192 Periodically, the City schedules Clean 264 FM 1209 Bastrop, TX 78602 Downtown Elgin at Veterans Memorial Up Saturdays. Pick up in Smithville city Cedar Creek, TX 78612 9:00AM to 1:00PM Saturdays limits is possible. Transfer Stations Bastrop County Transfer Station www.co.bastrop.tx.ux/uploads/documents/price_list.pdf (512) 549-5166 601 Cool Water Dr. Bastrop TX 78602 Hours: Tues-Sat, 8:00AM-4:00PM Bastrop (City) Transfer Station www.cityofbastrop.org/default.aspx?name=city.public_works (512) 332-8920 1209 Linden Street Bastrop TX 78602 Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:00AM-4:00PM Lone Star Disposal and Transfer Station http://www.lonestardisposal.net/ (512) 321 3211 413 FM 20 Bastrop, TX 78602 Hours: Monday - Thursday 9 AM - 4 PM Friday 9 AM - 1 PM Smithville Transfer Station http://www.ci.smithville.tx.us/Public-Works.aspx (512) 237 3282 1000 MLK Blvd Smithville, TX 78957 Hours: Monday-Thursday, 7:30AM-3:30PM

Info: 512 537 0068 Web: www.keepbastropcountybeautiful.org

This Guide is brought to you through a grant from CAPCOG/TCEQ” .