Spring cleaning? Gather household hazardous waste items for “Bring It!” on April 14

Gulfport, Miss. – The 17th annual Harrison County household hazardous waste collection event known as “Bring It!,” will be held Saturday, April 14, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mississippi Power’s Plant Jack Watson on Lorraine Road in Gulfport. The event is designed to provide Harrison County residents with a safe and convenient way to dispose of hazardous household waste, free of charge.

“Everyone’s doing a little spring cleaning around the house these days, so it’s the perfect opportunity to make sure items like paints, chemicals, oils and so much more are properly disposed of,” said Harrison County Supervisor and event organizer Connie Rockco. “Earth Day is the following Saturday, so holding ‘Bring It!’ in the spring is a great kickoff to a week of environmental clean-up events around Harrison County.”

Event organizers are prepared to collect a wide range of waste products including batteries, paints, tires, chemicals, oils and appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dryers and stoves. They also will accept e-waste such as cell phones, computers, fax machines, television sets and VCRs. Expired prescription drugs will also be collected.

Medical waste, syringes, furniture, asbestos or items containing explosive or radioactive material will not be accepted.

Waste from businesses will not be accepted as the event is provided as a service to local residents.

From the event’s inception in 1995, more than 315 tons of hazardous material has been collected.

“Bring It!” is sponsored by Mississippi Power, Harrison County Beautification Commission, Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Harrison County Board of Supervisors, Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Interstate Battery, Waste Oil Collectors and Waste Management.

For more information, residents can contact Jenna Weatherford, Harrison County Beautification director, at 228-214-1405 or beautification@co.harrison.ms.us.

Mississippi Power, a Southern Company subsidiary, serves approximately 188,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties.  

Editor’s Note:
Selected data from the 2011 collection event:
Oil                                  810 gallons
Batteries                       986 lbs.
E-Waste                    9,493 lbs.
Fluorescent bulbs       540