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Cleanup Continues: Flood victims turn in hazardous waste

Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Reeve Thayer, George Thayer and Parker Thayer of ERG Environmental Services sort household waste dropped off by flood victims at a collection site in Lake Linden Friday. About 5 tons of material had been collected halfway through the event.

LAKE LINDEN — Houghton County flood victims got to turn in hazardous waste from their homes at a pickup held in Lake Linden Friday.

The Department of Environmental Quality and ERG Environmental Services ran the event, which had taken in about five tons of material by 2 p.m. Friday, said ERG president Erik Thayer.

“I have family in the area, so it was important to me to come,” he said.

Workers sorted the materials into several categories: acids, bases, pesticides, flammable and water-based paints, aerosol cans, batteries and others.

“They all kind of have to have their own separate category so they don’t react with one another in the container if something were to spill,” Thayer said.

Most of what had come in Friday afternoon was flammable and latex-based paint, Thayer said.

Some items will be used as alternative fuel. Others such as latex paint will be recycled and reused.

“We’re actually receiving paint that was previously paint that we received at a different HHW (household waste) somewhere else,” Thayer said.

Items with no alternative uses, such as pills or pesticides, are handled in accordance with industrial waste standards, said ERG vice president Edward Dawkins.

ERG holds about 100 events per year — mostly in Michigan, but also in Indiana and Ohio, Dawkins said.

A variety of items, such as construction debris, were not allowed. A number of unauthorized dump sites have been found throughout the county, some resulting in culverts being clogged. Residents are asked to take other materials to a county or municipal transfer station.

Dawkins said residents had been good about sticking to the allowed items.

“They’re not lined up 100 yards, which we’ve had before, but there seems to be a high amount per car,” Dawkins said. “So it’s deceiving.”

Marilyn Ollanketo of Hancock dropped off paint, antifreeze and oil. She had three feet of water in her basement after the flood. Her furnace was OK, but she had to tear the paneling off her sauna.

“I’ve had someone dry it out with dehumidifiers, so it’s pretty good now,” she said. “The family came up to help, so things are looking better.”

She was thrilled to see the collection taking place.

“I love it,” she said. “Everybody’s been so great. A lot of help.”

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