Contact:     Ken Silfven  (517) 241-7397
                    Lucy Doroshko  (517) 373-3122

DEQ Announces Household Hazardous WasteCollection Grants
Over $500,000 awarded

Department of Environmental Quality Director Russell Harding today announced the award of five grants totaling $507,174 to assist local units of government in establishing Household Hazardous Waste collection programs.

This is the second and final round of funding under the Michigan HHW Collection Initiative. The program is part of the Clean Michigan Initiative, a $675 million environmental bond proposed by Governor John Engler and overwhelmingly approved by voters in 1998.

"Although not regulated, household wastes may contain potentially hazardous materials," Harding said. "Establishing collection programs in underserved areas of the state provides safe disposal and educates residents on how to reduce the use of hazardous products in their homes."

Recipients are:

• Chippewa County - $100,000 to establish a permanent collection facility in the city of Sault Ste. Marie, which will serve residents of Chippewa County. The county will hold six collections a year.
• Livingston County - $85,000 to establish a permanent collection facility to serve the rapidly growing population of Livingston County. The county will hold six collections a year.
• Shiawassee County Community Development - $102,174 to establish a permanent collection facility in the city of Owosso, serving county residents with at least two major collections a year. This will be the first time the residents in this community will have access to a collection program.
• Muskegon County Department of Public Works - $110,000 to set up one permanent and two satellite collection sites on county property. The county will conduct six collection days per year at each site.
• Macomb County Health Department - $110,000 to establish four satellite collection sites and conduct eight collections a year. The county will also implement an innovative program to encourage business support of the program.