The Northwest Regional Planning Commission is holding its annual Cleansweep Program to collect household hazardous waste on Tuesday, August 11 in Iron River and Wednesday, August 12 in Ashland (click here for a full schedule of collection events).

Household hazardous wastes are toxic, corrosive, flammable, or reactive materials that would pose a danger to people and the environment if disposed of in regular waste streams. Examples include: oil-based paints, solvents, antifreeze, medications, fertilizer, pesticides and bug spray, and many cleaners. View the NWRPC Household Hazardous Waste fact sheet here.

Town of Bell residents are encouraged to utilize these collection events to properly dispose of hazardous waste. If for some reason you are unable to transport yourself to a collection site, the Town may be able to arrange for volunteer transportation; however, you must be able to accompany the volunteer to the collection site. Volunteers cannot collect and transport items for you.

Read more about the Cleansweep Program in the NWRPC press release:

“The NW Cleansweep Program collects household hazardous waste (HHW) chemicals from residents FREE of charge in the following counties: Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, and Washburn. It is a valuable program to our region because it provides an outlet for residents to safely dispose of potentially harmful substances to humans, animals, and the environment. Examples of items collected include: old gas and antifreeze, oil-based paints and stains, strippers, battery acid, herbicides, pesticides and insecticides, mercury-containing items such as old thermometers and thermostats, pool chemicals, photo chemicals, caustic cleaners, fertilizers, solvents, medications (except Price and Taylor), and household chemicals.

Items not accepted at the collection events include: latex paint (it is non-hazardous and should be dried out and disposed of in your regular garbage), dried out latex paint cans (these are also garbage), alkaline batteries (currently are not accepted in our region for recycling, dispose of in regular garbage), ammunition, explosives, asbestos, incandescent light bulbs, propane cylinders (any size), and spray foam cylinders.

Farmers and businesses are also welcome to utilize this event but must pre-register. A reasonable fee will be imposed to farmers and businesses. Please register by contacting Jen at jbarton@nwrpc.com or 715-635-2197 ext. 244.
Residents, farmers, and businesses are welcome to attend any of the collections in our service area, not just the one offered in your particular county. As long as you reside in one of the counties in the NWRPC service region, except Iron County, you are eligible to use any event location.”

Click the image below to learn about what is and is not accepted at the Cleansweep events: