Frequently Asked Questions on
Solid Waste
and Recycling
Q. Where can
I recycle in Buchanan County?
A. In Buchanan County both citizens and businesses
can recycle their newspapers and white paper at the Grundy Shopping Plaza near the Peking Resturant in Grundy. For large
metal appliances, citizens are encouraged to drop them off at the Old Hoot Landfill collection site.
Q. What do I do with out dated Computers and
Electronics?
A. In Buchanan County, citizens can simply drop them
off at the E-Waste recycling site at the Buchanan County Transfer Station. For
those businesses and citizens with large quanities please contact the Litter and
Recycling office at 276-935-6106/4574 or 276-498-4403.
Q. What is Household Hazardous Waste?
A.
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) can be any cleaning solvent like bleach,
cleaners, polishes, abrasives, pool chemicals, oil, pesticides, herbicides,
PCB's, both automotive and electronic batteries, gas stabilizers, paint and
paint thinners/sprits. Each year, Buchanan County sponsors a one day HHW event
at no cost to citizens. To learn more and to find out when and where this event
will be conducted, please contact your local litter and recycling
office.
Q. What
can I do with leftover paint?
A. First, check around to see if
someone else can use it. Often youth, school or community groups can use
smaller amounts of paint for small areas, or even for craft projects. What
paint that cannot be used can be solidified by removing the lid and letting it
dry out, or by absorbing with sawdust or clay-based kitty litter. The
solidified paint, can and lid can then be put out with the normal trash pickup.
Citizens that have large quanities are encouraged to keep this material for the
free Household Hazardous Waste collection events.
Q. What can I do with old paint thinner?
A.
Filter it through an old stocking. The dried stocking and dried paint in it can
be thrown out with the trash. The filtered paint thinner can be reused and
filtered again. If you simply want to dispose of the paint thinner, you will
need to bring it to one of the Household Hazardous Waste collection
events.
Q. Is there a charge for disposing my trash at the Buchanan County Solid Waste Transfer Station?
A. The answer is yes. A charge is requrired for both citizens and businesses.
Q. Can I place tires in with my
normal trash pickup or in a Green Box?
A. The answer is NO.
Citizens are required to deposit their old tires at the Solid Waste Transfer
Station for proper recycling or disposal.
Q. What do I do with Halogen Light Bulbs and the new energy saving Halogen bulbs?
A. Halogen bulbs contain Mercury and are harmful to
the environment and have been proven to be one the largest contaminates
going into landfills. In Buchanan County, citizens are encouraged
to not put them into their normal trash collection. Citizens can simply
save them for this one day Household Hazardous Waste Collection
event. This proper disposal is offer at no cost to any citizen or
business in Buchanan County.
Q. If I recycle paper, do I need to remove the
staples?
A. It is preferable, but not mandatory. During the paper
recycling process, the pulp passes through numerous screens that remove staples
and other contaminants. Larger fasteners, such as paperclips and bulldog clips
should definitely be removed, and reused.
Q. What can I do with used motor
oil?
A. Waste oil burners are becoming popular, and some are in
use in Buchanan County. Citizens can recycle their motor oil at a local
automotive parts store or at their Solid Waste Transfer Stations.
Q.
What do I do with old automobile
batteries?
A. Most of the automotive parts stores will accept old
batteries at no charge. When you purchase a new battery, most of the vendors
require that you turn in your old battery or you can be charge a core fee.
Some local recycling companies will even purchase your old batteries for
recycling. Citizens are reminded to handle the batteries very carefully so
fluids do not leak out onto the soil or into a stream. Please contact your
local litter and recycling office to determine who in your locality will accept
old batteries.
Q. Can I store large
numbers of tires on my Property?
A. No! This according to
Commonwealth of Virginia Solid Waste regulations is not a permited disposal
practice. Citizens are required to disposit them at their local solid waste
transfer station for proper disposal or recycling. It has been proven that
tires make great breeding grounds for mosquito's!! With the threat of West Nile
disease, citizens should not collect or store tires near thier homes.
Q.
Can I be held liable if someone is throwing
trash on my property?
A. Yes, according to the Commonwealth of
Virginia, the property owner is responisble for maintaining his or her property.
If you see someone depositing trash on your property then you should contact
your local litter officer to stop this practice. Litter officers do not
normally charge the landowner this type of case, but works with the landowner to
catch those that are guilty of this illegal practice.
Q. Can I be charged with Littering if trash blows out of
my vehicle?
A. Yes, according to Virginia Law, this is classified
as an unsecured load and littering.
Q. How much are the fines if I get caught Littering or
Illegally Dumping?
A. Fines range from as low as $50 all the way
up to $5,000. In Buchanan County we have enacted tougher litter ordinances that
gives the litter officers the ability to pursue civil damages. In these cases
litter bugs can be fined up to $5,000 plus court and attorney fees and made to
clean the entire dump up at the litter bugs expense.
Q. Who are the people in orange vest cleaning along our
highways?
A. In some cases this is volunteers. In addition,
Buchanan, Dickenson and Russell counties have adopted the Assign-A-Highway
program. This innovative program utilizes probationers to clean sections of
road ways every two weeks. These probationers are assigned by the courts to
preform this duty as long as they are on probation. If a probationer fails to
complie with this program, they face jail time. To learn more about this
program visit www.assignahighway.com
Q. How can my office, civic group, community group or
club get involved with cleaning our county or recycling?
A. The counties of Buchanan, Dickenson and Russell have many projects
that both citizens and businesses can participate. Events are
advertised in the local newspapers and citizens and businesses can
simply contact thier local litter and recycling office to volunteer to
assist. Businesses are encouraged to implement programs such as
office paper recycling. For more information or how you can start a
office recycling program please call us at 276-935-4574.
|
|
Contact:
Jerry Ward, Litter Officer
Richard Lee, Litter Officer
Phone: 276-935-4574 or 276-935-6106
Fax: 276-935-0129
Email: buchlitter@buchanancounty-va.gov
Buchanan County Litter and Recycling Office Administrative Office
P.O. Drawer 950
Grundy, VA 24614
|
|
