EPA Collects More than 8K Hazardous Containers in Napa, Sonoma Counties

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said today it has collected more than 8,300 containers of household hazardous waste from burn areas of Sonoma and Napa counties.

The containers range in size between small paint canisters to large chemical drums. They contain paints, cleaners, solvents, oils, herbicides, batteries and pesticides, which all require special handling and disposal.

The containers of hazardous waste from nearly 7,000 commercial and residential parcels in the two counties will be transported to EPA staging sites in Windsor and Yountville before they're disposed at hazardous waste facilities.

The EPA is responsible for surveying, collecting and disposing of the waste.

The EPA finished collecting household hazardous waste from the Coffey Park neighborhood of Santa Rosa on Tuesday.

Waste collection continues in the Mark West, Larkfield-Wikiup and Fountain Grove areas north of Santa Rosa, and operations have begun in Kenwood and Glen Ellen south of Santa Rosa.

EPA teams in Napa County are working in the Atlas Peak, Soda Canyon, Old Soda Canyon Springs, Mount Veeder, Redwood, Vichy Springs and Monticello roads and Hardman Avenue area.

The public can track the EPA's hazardous waste removal progress in both counties at www.epa.gov/norcalfireresponse. The site shows maps of the fire zones and tracks progress in the field.

The Governor's Office of Emergency Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency and local officials are coordinating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to remove without cost burn debris, foundations, hazardous trees and some soil from properties. Homeowners must sign a Right to Entry form before debris removal.

Homeowners also can hire a private contractor at their own expense to remove the debris. The work, however, must meet or exceed local, state and federal standards and comply with legal requirements for disposal.

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