FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 3, 2021

The next Columbia County Household Hazardous Waste Collection will be

Saturday August 28th from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

At the Columbia County Transfer Station, 1601 Railroad Ave in St. Helens 

Please be patient, unloading may take a few extra minutes. We ask that you have all your household hazardous waste in the truck bed or trunk or hatchback of your car, not passenger compartment. Please remain in your vehicle. 

A variety of hazardous materials can be dropped off at no cost on Saturday, August 28th at the household hazardous waste event at the Columbia County Transfer Station. Below is a list of items that can be brought to the event. Bring products in original containers. Items must be in containers of five gallons or less and should be secured safely during transport. Trained household hazardous waste technicians will unload materials from vehicles. 

Examples of acceptable items:

• fireworks and flares 
• gas / diesel / fuels / antifreeze / motor oil 
• lawn and garden chemicals • herbicides and pesticides 
• pool and spa chemicals 
• light ballasts—please remove from light fixture 
• fluorescent tubes • art and hobby chemicals 
• solvents and thinners 
• items containing mercury 
• propane cylinders 
• compressed gas cylinders 
• batteries - car, rechargeable, button, alkaline batteries • cleaners and detergents 
• poisons 
• paint 
• used motor oil 
• cooking oil 
• medical sharps 
• automotive batteries 
• antifreeze 
• fluorescent tubes 
• ammunition

Unwanted paint, used motor oil and used cooking oil can be brought to the event as well as any time during the Transfer Station’s open hours for no fee. Medical sharps are accepted during open hours for no cost at the Scale House. Sharps must arrive in a sealed, self-closing, puncture-proof OSHA approved container. Free sharps containers are available at the scale house at the transfer station.

 Although automotive batteries, antifreeze and fluorescent tubes will be collected at no cost during this collection event, a fee is charged when brought to the Transfer Station at other times. 

The Columbia County Sheriff accepts expired or unwanted medication at 901 Port Ave., St. Helens. They are open 7 days a week, 8:30am - 5:00pm. Place items in the MedReturn collection box.

The county will host two more household hazardous waste events in 2021, the next events are October 2nd in Clatskanie and October 23rd at the Transfer Station in St Helens. Please check the Columbia County website for further updates https://www.columbiacountyor.gov/departments/SolidWaste/household-hazardous-waste-1. 

For more information, email Kathy Boutin-Pasterz at Kathleen.Boutin-Pasterz@columbiacountyor.gov or call her at 503-397-7259. 

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ABOUT COLUMBIA COUNTY’S SOLID WASTE PROGRAM 

Columbia County plans, organizes and directs recycling, reuse, waste reduction, and household hazardous waste management throughout its 657 square-mile area. The county operates the transfer station in St. Helens and administers solid waste collection franchises within the unincorporated area of the county.