County facility looks to collect e-cigs, e-waste

McCOOK, Neb. — The Red Willow County Household Hazardous Waste is now accepting numerous household items not previously accepted. With the popularity of E cigarettes or Vape Pens comes waste which includes batteries. These items have a battery to warm the vapor container which needs to be disposed of properly when discarded.

According to the EPA website “waste batteries can always be recycled or taken to household hazardous waste collection points. To prevent fires from lithium-ion batteries, tape battery terminals and/or place batteries in separate plastic bags and never put these batteries in household garbage or recycling bins.” For more information on recycling visit www.epa.gov/recycle/used-household-batteries.

Besides accepting household, E-cigarette and car and power tool batteries the facility is also accepting ink cartridges. According to www.planetgreenrecycle.com “used toner and ink cartridges should never end up in the trash.

Many chemicals in toner and ink are hazardous, and toner is a fine, densely-packed powder which consists of plastic particles, carbon black, fumed silica, dyes, and charge control agents.

Throwing away empty ink cartridges is bad for the environment and a waste of plastic.”

If bringing ink to the facility, please try to put it back in its original packaging and in a leak proof container or bag.

Another new item being taken in is old cell phones for recycling. These items to do not need to be taken to the landfill and can be sent to various locations from the county waste facility for recycling.

Most E waste can be dropped at the facility such as computers, certain TVS and other items.

The facility currently takes in common household waste such as pesticides, paint, household and garden chemicals, used oils and anti-freeze and light bulbs.

The facility is open Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and the first Saturday of every month from 8a-1p and is located at 108 West Railroad Service Road in McCook.

For more information on what can or cannot be taken into the facility or questions call (308) 345-4333.