Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Publishes Household Hazardous Waste Manual
Jul 7, 2011
Provides Guidelines for Tribes
In its continuing efforts to promote recycling, reduce waste and maintain safety, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Environment Division has produced a manual titled Tribal Guide for Managing Household Hazardous Waste. Laura Weber, the Tribe’s Solid Waste Program Manager was one of the authors in combination with students from State University of New York (SUNY), Potsdam. They wrote the manual based on the Tribe’s practical experience in developing a program to properly collect and dispose of household hazardous waste (HHW). “Household hazardous waste can be a variety of substances,” remarked Weber. “From bleach to paint to pesticides to swimming pool chemicals. All of these items require special handling. Improper disposal of them can result in dangerous conditions for individuals and communities.”
The manual is a “start to finish” set of guidelines on setting up a program to publicize, collect and dispose of household hazardous waste. It describes the rationale behind the program, how to set up a collection center and collaboration with neighboring agencies. The manual also strongly emphasizes safety precautions necessary to protect the staff, people dropping off waste and the environment.
“We’re happy to be able to make this available to other tribes,” said Ken Jock, Director of the Tribe’s Environment Division. “Other communities can learn from our experiences as well as our mistakes. There’s no point in re-inventing the square wheel.”
The manual describes the HHW program development, community outreach and education, financing, the HHW collection process, the safe handling of HHW among other topics. The manual is available, free of charge, to any tribal community. Interested tribes or tribal officials can contact the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s Environment Division at 518-358-5937 or by email at laura.weber@srmt-nsn.gov Or on the tribe’s website at www.srmt-nsn.gov
For more information contact David T. Staddon, Director of Public Information at (518) 358-2272 ext. 286.
Download Household Hazardous Waste Manual