EPA Oversees Collection Of Household Materials In USVI And PR Following Hurricanes

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday that it’s working closely with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands governments, local governments and residents to keep hazardous materials out of the environment and minimize the amount of waste going to landfills.

EPA is assisting the governments of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as local governments, in the collection of household hazardous waste, electronic waste, and displaced “orphan” containers, which include drums, tanks, canisters and cylinders that were displaced by the hurricane and were found floating in or washed up near waterways. In Puerto Rico, nearly 6,000 drums, propane tanks, cylinders and other containers have been collected and diverted from landfills. In the USVI, approximately 3,500 containers have been collected to-date.

Household hazardous waste includes aerosol cans, household cleaners and chemicals, paint, and electronic items such as computers and televisions. Household hazardous materials also include batteries, which have become a major concern due to the large volume of batteries being used by residents who are without power. Household hazardous waste should not be thrown out with regular trash as s it can contaminate the land, waterways, and groundwater.

U.S. Virgin Islands Household Hazardous Waste

In the U.S. Virgin Islands EPA personnel have evaluated and identified collection pad locations for household hazardous waste. Residents should drop off their household hazardous waste at the collection pad location closest to them.

St. Croix Household Hazardous Waste Collection

• Location: Evelyn Williams Elementary School, St. Croix
• Days of Operation: 7 days a week
• Hours of Operation: 8:00am-5:00pm

St. John Household Hazardous Waste Collection

• Locations: Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center
• Days of Operation: 7 days a week
• Hours of Operation: 7:30am-4:00pm Monday-Saturday and 10am-3:00pm Sunday

St. Thomas Household Hazardous Waste Collection

• Locations: Addelita Cancryn Jr. High School; Lima (Gasworks) and Bovoni Landfill
• Days of Operation: Monday- Saturday
• Hours of Operation: 7:30am-4:00pm

Puerto Rico Household Hazardous Waste

In many parts of Puerto Rico, household hazardous materials are being collected at the curb or along the side of the road. Residents are encouraged to separate household hazardous waste from their regular trash and place them near a sidewalk or roadside in front of their property. Care should be taken to avoid blocking storm drains. Labels should be left on bottles or containers. Chemicals and liquids should not be combined or mixed with other chemicals or liquids.

In some municipalities in Puerto Rico, there are collection locations for household hazardous waste, where residents should drop off their hazardous materials. For more information on specific collection locations resident should call their municipal government.