Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
Officials at Phoenix City Hall are reminding Valley residents about the danger of throwing hazardous items in trash or recycling cans.
Things like pool chemicals, tiki torch canisters, lighters, and hot coals should never go in the trash, Phoenix solid waste officials tell the Digital Free Press.
Officials at City Hall report Phoenix had 12 truck fires last year, and the Town of Queen Creek had five whereas the city of Goodyear had three fires in the span of one week that caused more than $60,000 in truck damage.
All of these fires (also known as hot loads) were caused by hazardous material inside trash or recycling containers – common household combustibles like batteries, electronics, paint, or pressurized canisters, according to a press release.
Each hot load puts solid waste equipment operators in danger, slows the collection process, harms the environment, and causes damage to heavy equipment that must be repaired using either taxpayer or ratepayer dollars, the release states.
“When I saw the smoke, I thought, ‘Oh my goodness! This is a big-time hot load!’” said Anthony Guzman, a solid waste equipment operator with the city of Phoenix who has witnessed or been involved with four hot loads in just the last two years.
“I was a little bit terrified, a little bit nervous. But at the same time, I’ve got to stop and think. This is very serious. You’ve got to think about the residents and the people around you -– including yourself.”
Learn more about the dangers of disposing of hazardous materials, HERE.
