For the first time in its 20-plus year history, the upcoming Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day has been postponed indefinitely because of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Slated for April 4 at the Bradley County Justice Center, the event will be rescheduled when a safer environment appears more imminent, officials said.
“We typically have 400 to 500 families in a four-hour span participate in our collection events,” said Cheryl Dunson, HHWCD coordinator. “Thanks to the Bradley County Sheriff’s Department , we also rely heavily on inmate labor to help us unload vehicles. After consulting with BCSD officials, we decided we cannot risk the spread of the virus and jeopardize the lives of local families, volunteers and the entire jail population.”
Dunson said Bradley County Sheriff Steve Lawson promises to make the justice center available at a later date for another HHWCD event, but cannot speculate on a definitive date because of the uncertainty of the virus’ longevity.
“We recognize the importance of this event and how much local residents appreciate having an opportunity to rid their homes of household toxins free of charge,” Sheriff Dunson said. “But, we must remain vigilant in doing everything within our means to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.”
In addition to the sheriff’s department, HHWCD sponsors include Bradley County Government, Cleveland/Bradley Keep America Beautiful, Cleveland Utilities, Santek Waste Services and the Cleveland office of the Better Business Bureau.
“It takes a concerted effort and long-range planning to stage a HHWCD event because of the number of parties involved,” Sheriff Dunson said. “Because of this, our next event will likely be in the fall, but I hope and pray we can announce an earlier date for the sake of our entire community.”
For more information, residents can contact Sheriff Dunson at 641-5990.