PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – With hurricane season officially kicking off on June 1, Pinellas County officials are sounding the alarm for residents to clear out their “hidden” home dangers before the first clouds gather. Local authorities are urging everyone to ditch old chemicals, paints, and batteries now, rather than waiting for a storm surge to turn a messy garage into an environmental disaster.
Old cans of gas, half-used paint, and those dead e-bike batteries sitting in closets might seem harmless today, but they pose serious risks during a major storm. If a home floods or catches fire during a hurricane, these common household items can leak toxic chemicals or spark blazes that emergency crews can’t easily reach.
“Each year, we see people wait until a hurricane is approaching to clean out their garages, which leads to long lines at our drop-off centers and can quickly fill our fuel tanks,” said Pinellas County Solid Waste Director Paul Sacco. “By dropping these items off early, residents can avoid delays and keep the community safer.”
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To make the cleanup easier, the county is providing two free drop-off locations for residents. The main Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Center is located at 2855 109th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg and stays open Tuesday through Friday, plus the first and third Saturdays of the month from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
North county residents can head to 29582 U.S. 19 N in Clearwater on select Saturdays. Additionally, a special one-day collection event is scheduled for Saturday, May 30, at the Treasure Island Community Center Park from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
These services are strictly for Pinellas County households, and you’ll need to show a government-issued ID to drop off your items. Officials also noted that while these sites are for residents, businesses have their own separate disposal window on the second Wednesday of every month.
For those unsure if their old supplies qualify, a full list of accepted materials and quantity limits is available at Pinellas.gov/hhw. Making the trip now could be the difference between a safe home and a chemical hazard when the next storm hits.
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