State Helps Residents Remove Hurricane Hazardous Waste 

Release Date: October 10, 2003
Release Number: 1490-46

» More Information on North Carolina Hurricane Isabel

Raleigh, NC -- Residents of nine North Carolina counties with hazardous waste on their property as a result of Hurricane Isabel can deliver it to selected sites for free disposal this week.

"Hazardous household wastes such as insect and rodent poisons, contaminated fuel, drain openers and paint are always a problem for residents in the mess created by storms and floods,' said Dexter Matthews, director of the state's Division of Waste Management. "When not disposed of safely they become an environmental problem for the community."

Counties now earmarked for collections, where flooding was extensive, are Perquimans, Chowan, Pasquotank, Craven, Carteret, Pamlico, Hyde, Bertie and Pitt. Officials said the need for collections in other counties is being assessed.

Some farm pesticides will be accepted but not waste from commercial operations or biological, radioactive or infectious materials. Contractors will make collections Friday and Saturday (Oct. 10-11) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following sites:

Perquimans-Allen's Chevron, 17 S. Convenience Center, 10th and 11th.
Chowan-Soundshore Dr. Convenience Center, 10th and 11th.
Pasquotank-Sun Grove Dr., 10th and 11th.
Craven/Adams Creek-Brooks Road just off Adams Creek Rd., 11th.
Carteret/Sea Level-Mariner's Park off Hwy 70, 11th.
Pamlico/Oriental-Oriental Recreation Park behind Pamlico VFD,11th.
Pamlico/Vandemere-Hwy 307 and First St., 11th.
Hyde/Swan Quarter-488 Credle Rd., 11th.
Hyde/Englehard-36154 U.S. 264 E, 11th.
Bertie-Rosemeade Convenience Center, Nowell Farm Rd., 11th.
Pitt-Pitt County Transfer Station, 3025 Landfill Rd., 11th.

The North Carolina departments of Environment and Natural Resources and Agriculture and Consumer Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are coordinating the collection effort.

Since the passage of Hurricane Isabel the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has recovered three flatbed truckloads of orphaned propane tanks, drums and containers in Hyde County alone. Similar recovery operations were conducted in Cartaret and Dare counties.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

For more information about hurricane preparedness and recovery and specific information about Isabel, visit the FEMA website at www.fema.gov.

Last Modified: Friday, 10-Oct-2003 13:51:34