Carnegie Mellon Initiative Receives Governor's Award

It's time for spring cleaning. While you're sorting out the garage, you'll likely come across some old paint cans, flea spray or containers of bleach. What should you do with them? 

To help ensure proper disposal of household products that are hazardous to the environment, Carnegie Mellon initiated the formation of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Household Hazardous Waste Task Force (HHW). 

Winner of the 2007 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence, HHW is a partnership of profit and non-profit organizations, as well as academia, government and environmental organizations. Since its inception in 2002, the task force has created collection and education programs in an effort to preserve the environment and keep people safe.  

"The Southwestern Pennsylvania HHW Task Force is a great example of academia, government and business working together to find solutions that protect our environment," said Barb Kviz, environmental coordinator at Carnegie Mellon. "We are very appreciative to Carnegie Mellon's Steinbrenner Institute and Green Practices Program for support of this regional initiative and our campus environmental efforts."

A collection event is scheduled each month in one of eight Pennsylvania counties, at which you can properly dispose of your hazardous products for the small fee of $2 per gallon. The next collection event is scheduled for July 7 in Lawrence County. An event for Allegheny County is scheduled in September. For details, visit the task force site.

Meanwhile, you can learn more about chemicals used in the home at a free public forum June 26 at the Westin Convention Center Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh. Some of the topics that will be covered include non-toxic alternatives to hazardous chemicals; effects on the health of you and your family; and impact on the environment.  

Related Links: Green Practices  Steinbrenner Institute  Environmental Education  Task Force