Douglas Co. Government

Emergency Messages as of 4:15 AM, Sun. Dec 14

No information currently posted.

Subscribe to receive FlashAlert messages from Douglas Co. Government.

Manage my existing Subscription

News Release

08-20-20 Important Notice About Flammable And Hot Waste Disposal - 08/20/20

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 20, 2020

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT FLAMMABLE AND HOT WASTE DISPOSAL

 

            (Douglas County, OR.) A few low-level cover fires at the Douglas County landfill has prompted the Douglas County Board of Commissioners and the Douglas County Solid Waste Department to issue a warning about tossing flammable, combustible and hot waste items into your trash bins, refuse containers and at our Douglas County transfer stations.  Landfill fires are most common in the spring and summer months, with the greatest risk peaking in August when temperatures are seasonably at their highest.

 

            “We have experienced landfill fires in the past and after identifying the causes, we know that most of the fires could have been prevented with a little help from our residents.  So, we are asking residents to take a little extra time to separate and properly dispose of flammable and combustible materials, and make sure that hot waste items are cooled and contained before they place them in a garbage can or dispose of them at a transfer station,” stated Commissioner Tom Kress. 

 

            Landfill fires are especially dangerous, not only with the potential to start a wildfire on neighboring lands, but also because they can cause injury to employees and fire crews, and they can emit dangerous fumes from the combustion of the wide range of materials contained within the landfill.  Luckily, the recent fires were quickly contained by staff at the landfill, which prevented the spread to the nearby hill sides.

 

            “It is extremely dangerous for our solid waste staff, as well as fire crews to fight fires at a landfill.  Between navigating the steep terrain with fire equipment, preventing the spread of fires to neighboring lands, enduring the extreme heat caused by combustible materials and avoiding potentially toxic fumes, there is an incredible safety and health risk,” commented Gabe Forrester, Douglas County Solid Waste Division Manager.

 

            While the cause of the a few of the fires are still under investigation, the latest landfill fire was caused by an improperly discarded automobile battery that exploded and caught fire when it was run over by a trash compactor working in the landfill.  (Photo of battery attached) Batteries have been identified as a leading cause of several recent landfill fires at other Oregon landfill locations.  In addition to the batteries, officials want to alert citizens that landfill or transfer station fires can occur when the following materials haven’t been properly disposed: cell phones, home electronics, charcoal briquettes, wood stove ashes, cigarettes, propane fuel tanks and cylinders, fireworks, explosives, radioactive materials, lighters, oil, oil soaked rags, chemicals and cigarettes.

 

Douglas County Solid Waste Department is offering some tips and the following guide to properly dispose of flammable and hot waste items: (See attached flyer for more information)

Lithium-ion and Lithium-polymer Batteries: These kinds of batteries are commonly found in cell phones, tablets, notebooks, computers, RC cars and other electronic children’s toys.  Locally you can recycle these at Lowes and Batteries Plus Bulbs.  Additionally, Batteries Plus Bulbs and Call2Recycle will accept alkaline, rechargeable, dry/wet cell and miscellaneous batteries.  For all other electronics that contain batteries, the closest location for disposal is at the Lane County Hazardous Waste Collection Center - Glenwood Transfer Station, 3100 E. 17th Ave. in Eugene. Please remove the batteries and do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Cell phones, Tablets, Notebooks and Computers: Most cell phones or tablets can be recycled or traded-in with your phone service provider, or at an ECO-ATM kiosk located inside your local Wal*Mart, Safeway and Fred Meyer  stores buy or recycle them for you.  You can also contact the local Lions Club or Call2Recycle for local locations that recycle these items. For all other communication devices that contain batteries, the closest location for disposal is at the Lane County Hazardous Waste Collection Center - Glenwood Transfer Station, 3100 E. 17th Ave. in Eugene. Please remember to remove batteries and do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Electronics and Televisions: Sunrise Enterprise locations will accept most home electronics, including computers and TV’s for recycling.  For all other electronics, the closest location for disposal is at the Lane County Hazardous Waste Collection Center - Glenwood Transfer Station, 3100 E. 17th Ave. in Eugene. Disposal is by appointment only, so please call for more information and to make an appointment, (541) 682-4120.  Please do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Auto and Boat Batteries: The Douglas County Landfill and All Transfer Stations will accept auto and boat batteries for recycling.  Or you can typically trade in these kinds of batteries and receive a core credit or discount on your next battery purchase at a local store.  Call local stores and inquire about “take back” or other recycling options.  Please do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Charcoal Briquettes, Coals and Hot Ashes: Close the lid and vents to your charcoal grill for 48 hours until ash has completely cooled. Soak ash with water to reduce potential for combustion. Place the completely cooled ash in a plastic bag or in a plastic container before placing it in a non-combustible garbage bin for disposal.  The same method applies for the proper disposal of cigarettes, fireplace ashes or fire pit coals.  Make sure the coals, briquettes and ashes are completely cooled and dead out for disposal. Please do not place hot waste items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Propane Tanks: The Douglas County Landfill and All Transfer Stations will accept propane tanks for recycling with the valves removed.  Or you can call the retailer where you purchased your propane tank, and inquire about “take back” or other recycling options.  Please do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Used Fireworks: Submerge used fireworks in a bucket of water and soak overnight. Wrap soaked fireworks in plastic so they do not dry out and place in a non-combustible garbage bin before disposal. Unused fireworks cannot be thrown away in your regular garbage.  Please contact a hazardous waste collection center for disposal information.

Explosives and Radioactive Materials: Explosives and radioactive materials cannot be thrown away in your regular garbage.  Please do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.  Please contact a hazardous waste collection center for disposal information.

Lighters, Oil, Oil Soaked Rags and Chemicals: Lighters, oil, oil soaked rags and chemicals cannot be thrown away in your regular garbage.  Please do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags. Please contact a hazardous waste collection center for disposal information.

Smoking or Vaping: A safety reminder that Smoking or Vaping is not permitted inside the gates of the county landfill or at any of the County Transfer Station locations.   Please do not place lit cigarettes or flick hot cigarette butts into our disposal bins or throw them away with your regular refuse or garbage bags.

           

            Safety of our citizens, as well as county workers and fire crews, is always a high priority.  We are asking citizens to please use caution and help to properly dispose of flammable and hot waste material.  Please follow the above listed guide and obey all posted signs, warnings and solid waste worker instructions.   For additional information, please contact the Douglas County Solid Waste Department at (541) 440-4475 or log onto www.co.douglas.or.us.

08-20-20 Important Notice About Flammable And Hot Waste Disposal - 08/20/20

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 20, 2020

IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT FLAMMABLE AND HOT WASTE DISPOSAL

 

            (Douglas County, OR.) A few low-level cover fires at the Douglas County landfill has prompted the Douglas County Board of Commissioners and the Douglas County Solid Waste Department to issue a warning about tossing flammable, combustible and hot waste items into your trash bins, refuse containers and at our Douglas County transfer stations.  Landfill fires are most common in the spring and summer months, with the greatest risk peaking in August when temperatures are seasonably at their highest.

 

            “We have experienced landfill fires in the past and after identifying the causes, we know that most of the fires could have been prevented with a little help from our residents.  So, we are asking residents to take a little extra time to separate and properly dispose of flammable and combustible materials, and make sure that hot waste items are cooled and contained before they place them in a garbage can or dispose of them at a transfer station,” stated Commissioner Tom Kress. 

 

            Landfill fires are especially dangerous, not only with the potential to start a wildfire on neighboring lands, but also because they can cause injury to employees and fire crews, and they can emit dangerous fumes from the combustion of the wide range of materials contained within the landfill.  Luckily, the recent fires were quickly contained by staff at the landfill, which prevented the spread to the nearby hill sides.

 

            “It is extremely dangerous for our solid waste staff, as well as fire crews to fight fires at a landfill.  Between navigating the steep terrain with fire equipment, preventing the spread of fires to neighboring lands, enduring the extreme heat caused by combustible materials and avoiding potentially toxic fumes, there is an incredible safety and health risk,” commented Gabe Forrester, Douglas County Solid Waste Division Manager.

 

            While the cause of the a few of the fires are still under investigation, the latest landfill fire was caused by an improperly discarded automobile battery that exploded and caught fire when it was run over by a trash compactor working in the landfill.  (Photo of battery attached) Batteries have been identified as a leading cause of several recent landfill fires at other Oregon landfill locations.  In addition to the batteries, officials want to alert citizens that landfill or transfer station fires can occur when the following materials haven’t been properly disposed: cell phones, home electronics, charcoal briquettes, wood stove ashes, cigarettes, propane fuel tanks and cylinders, fireworks, explosives, radioactive materials, lighters, oil, oil soaked rags, chemicals and cigarettes.

 

Douglas County Solid Waste Department is offering some tips and the following guide to properly dispose of flammable and hot waste items: (See attached flyer for more information)

Lithium-ion and Lithium-polymer Batteries: These kinds of batteries are commonly found in cell phones, tablets, notebooks, computers, RC cars and other electronic children’s toys.  Locally you can recycle these at Lowes and Batteries Plus Bulbs.  Additionally, Batteries Plus Bulbs and Call2Recycle will accept alkaline, rechargeable, dry/wet cell and miscellaneous batteries.  For all other electronics that contain batteries, the closest location for disposal is at the Lane County Hazardous Waste Collection Center - Glenwood Transfer Station, 3100 E. 17th Ave. in Eugene. Please remove the batteries and do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Cell phones, Tablets, Notebooks and Computers: Most cell phones or tablets can be recycled or traded-in with your phone service provider, or at an ECO-ATM kiosk located inside your local Wal*Mart, Safeway and Fred Meyer  stores buy or recycle them for you.  You can also contact the local Lions Club or Call2Recycle for local locations that recycle these items. For all other communication devices that contain batteries, the closest location for disposal is at the Lane County Hazardous Waste Collection Center - Glenwood Transfer Station, 3100 E. 17th Ave. in Eugene. Please remember to remove batteries and do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Electronics and Televisions: Sunrise Enterprise locations will accept most home electronics, including computers and TV’s for recycling.  For all other electronics, the closest location for disposal is at the Lane County Hazardous Waste Collection Center - Glenwood Transfer Station, 3100 E. 17th Ave. in Eugene. Disposal is by appointment only, so please call for more information and to make an appointment, (541) 682-4120.  Please do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Auto and Boat Batteries: The Douglas County Landfill and All Transfer Stations will accept auto and boat batteries for recycling.  Or you can typically trade in these kinds of batteries and receive a core credit or discount on your next battery purchase at a local store.  Call local stores and inquire about “take back” or other recycling options.  Please do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Charcoal Briquettes, Coals and Hot Ashes: Close the lid and vents to your charcoal grill for 48 hours until ash has completely cooled. Soak ash with water to reduce potential for combustion. Place the completely cooled ash in a plastic bag or in a plastic container before placing it in a non-combustible garbage bin for disposal.  The same method applies for the proper disposal of cigarettes, fireplace ashes or fire pit coals.  Make sure the coals, briquettes and ashes are completely cooled and dead out for disposal. Please do not place hot waste items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Propane Tanks: The Douglas County Landfill and All Transfer Stations will accept propane tanks for recycling with the valves removed.  Or you can call the retailer where you purchased your propane tank, and inquire about “take back” or other recycling options.  Please do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.

Used Fireworks: Submerge used fireworks in a bucket of water and soak overnight. Wrap soaked fireworks in plastic so they do not dry out and place in a non-combustible garbage bin before disposal. Unused fireworks cannot be thrown away in your regular garbage.  Please contact a hazardous waste collection center for disposal information.

Explosives and Radioactive Materials: Explosives and radioactive materials cannot be thrown away in your regular garbage.  Please do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags.  Please contact a hazardous waste collection center for disposal information.

Lighters, Oil, Oil Soaked Rags and Chemicals: Lighters, oil, oil soaked rags and chemicals cannot be thrown away in your regular garbage.  Please do not place these items with your regular refuse or in garbage bags. Please contact a hazardous waste collection center for disposal information.

Smoking or Vaping: A safety reminder that Smoking or Vaping is not permitted inside the gates of the county landfill or at any of the County Transfer Station locations.   Please do not place lit cigarettes or flick hot cigarette butts into our disposal bins or throw them away with your regular refuse or garbage bags.

           

            Safety of our citizens, as well as county workers and fire crews, is always a high priority.  We are asking citizens to please use caution and help to properly dispose of flammable and hot waste material.  Please follow the above listed guide and obey all posted signs, warnings and solid waste worker instructions.   For additional information, please contact the Douglas County Solid Waste Department at (541) 440-4475 or log onto www.co.douglas.or.us.