Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event in Vernonia Apr. 22

Your household hazardous waste must be in your vehicle's bed, trunk, or hatchback - not the passenger compartment. Unloading may take a few extra minutes as extra safety measures will be in place. Please be patient, and please remain in your car.

The City of Vernonia will host a county-sponsored Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 8 a.m. until noon. The HHW Event will be held at Spencer Park at 377 Bridge St. (at the parking lot of the covered basketball area). If you are a Columbia County resident, you can drop off various toxic and unsafe materials at no cost.

Items must be in containers not larger than five (5) gallons and should be secured safely during transport. Trained HHW technicians will unload materials from your vehicle. 

Examples of acceptable items are:

  • fireworks and flares 
  • gas / diesel / fuels / motor oil / antifreeze
  • lawn and garden chemicals 
  • herbicides and pesticides 
  • pool and spa chemicals 
  • light ballasts—must be removed from light fixtures
  • fluorescent tubes 
  • art and hobby chemicals 
  • solvents and thinners 
  • items containing mercury 
  • propane and compressed gas cylinders 
  • batteries – all types and applications
  • cleaners and detergents 
  • poisons 
  • paint and paint products (latex and acrylic paint, oil-based paint, enamel, stains, lacquers, shellacs, varnishes, primers, etc.)
  • cooking oil
  • medical sharps in OSHA-approved, puncture-proof containers
  • ammunition 

 Do NOT bring:

  • items containing asbestos
  • garbage or trash
  • liquids in containers larger than five gallons

Filled Sharps Containers (sealed, red, OSHA-approved, puncture-proof containers) are accepted at this event. You can also return them to the Vernonia Rural Fire Protection District, 555 E. Bridge St. (Mon-Thu 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. or call 503-429-8252 for appt.) and receive a free sharps container in exchange.

Did you know that Vernonia Hardware and Supply at 1026 Bridge St. accepts unwanted or used paint for free? Drop off your sealed paint container during business hours (9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Thu, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fri and Sat, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sun) for proper disposal.

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

Unwanted paint products, used motor oil, and electronics are accepted free of charge at the Transfer Station during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Sat).

The next county-sponsored HHW collection will be on May 20, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Rainier. The complete HHW collection event schedule is available on the Columbia County website at https://www.columbiacountyor.gov/departments/SolidWaste/hhw-schedule.

For more information, contact Jacob Anderson by phone at 503-397-7259 or by email at jacob.anderson@columbiacountyor.gov.

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ABOUT COLUMBIA COUNTY'S SOLID WASTE PROGRAM 

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



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