Free household hazardous waste collection day in Louth

The Regional Waste Management Planning Offices and Louth County Council are teaming up to host a free Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Saturday 4 October, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Kieran & McGee, Ardee Livestock Sales Yard, Drumgoolestown, Ardee, Co. Louth, A92 VP92. 

This vital initiative is funded by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment and allows Louth residents safely bid goodbye to those lingering products tucked away under the sink or gathering dust in the shed. It includes leftover paint tins, harsh cleaning chemicals, bleach, garden herbicides, and forgotten aerosol cans.

Throwing hazardous items like bleach, paints, or aerosol cans into general waste bin or pouring them down the drain can have serious consequences. These substances can contaminate our soil and water sources, harming wildlife and potentially entering our drinking water supply. They can also pose risks to waste collection workers and cause dangerous chemical reactions or even fires in waste facilities. This free collection day provides a safe, responsible, and environmentally sound alternative.

What You Can Bring (Household Items ONLY):

The collection day will accept household items that contain potentially harmful components. Please ONLY bring the following:

• Household Chemicals: Disinfectants, detergents, bleach, oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, and other potent cleaning agents
• Personal Care Products: Nail polish, nail polish remover, aerosols, and other chemical-based cosmetic products
• Garden Chemicals: Pesticides, herbicides, and other chemical treatments used in lawn and garden care
• Paints: Leftover paint and paint related products such as paintbrushes and rollers.
• Solvents: Varnishes, thinners, strippers, inks, glues, resins, and other solvent-based products
• Automotive Products: Used motor oil, petrol, diesel, antifreeze, surface polish, and other automotive fluids 

Important Reminders:

• This collection is for household hazardous waste only. Commercial/farm waste CANNOT be accepted
• Medicines, medical waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and gas canisters will not be accepted
• There's a 10 can/tub limit per customer for leftover paint
• There’s a 25 litre per customer limit for motor oil
• Please plan your visit accordingly, as materials cannot be left outside of the opening hours from 10:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday
• Opening hours are dependent on capacity limits to maintain safety and operational efficiency

Commenting on the event Cllr Sean Kelly, Cathaoirleach at Louth County Council said, “We’re proud to partner with the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices to provide this safe and well-organised free collection day in Louth.

"This is a positive step to ensure Louth remains environmentally conscious. Please remember that only household hazardous waste will be accepted, and such materials should never be placed in your general waste bin. We encourage all Louth residents to take this opportunity to safely dispose of their household hazardous waste”.

“Improper disposal of hazardous waste poses serious risks to both our health and the environment,” said Martin O’Gorman, Technical Support Officer at the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices.

 “The aim of this household hazardous waste collection initiative is to make the disposing process simple and convenient for householders to safely get rid of these harmful materials. It’s vital that hazardous products are kept out of the general waste bin and handled responsibly.”

Read more about Louth Hazardous Waste Collection Day here. Just remember to bring items in their original containers with legible original labels. For a complete list of accepted materials, visit www.mywaste.ie or https://www.louthcoco.ie/en/.