Reopening its doors on May 1 of this year, the Household Hazardous Waste Facility located in the town of Volney, New York, acts as a drop-off point for potentially dangerous household products, including materials such as degreasers, disinfectants, household cleaners, pool products and many more everyday commodities. Recently, a new global focus on environmentalism and the ramifications that come along with disregarding its significance has emerged.

With scientists  highlighting the negative effects of global warming, microclimates predicted to change in the coming years and the scrutinization of carbon emissions, now more than ever has society placed a new air of importance on the management of both local and global ecosystems. While the proximity of upstate New York’s largest nuclear power plant has led to the development of university-wide emergency evacuation plans and a lingering sense of wariness, the city of Oswego has made numerous strides toward more eco-friendly policies in recent history, including the installation of the Environmental Management Council (EMC) in 1971. With its establishment credited to the advancement of environmental prosperity, the EMC strives “to serve as a review and advisory board to local and state government on matters affecting the protection, consvation, preservation and proper management of the natural resources of Oswego County,” according to its official online mission statement. 

While useful in the household setting, the dumping of household substances has a detrimental effect on local wildlife and communities as a whole. According to a 2023 article by the Natural Resources Defense Council (an American-based non-profit environmental advocacy group), “chemicals and heavy metals from industrial and municipal wastewater… are toxic to aquatic life – most often reducing an organism’s life span and ability to reproduce – and make their way up the food chain as predator eats prey.” 

With Lake Ontario both bordering the city and being recognized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as a “national treasure… which holds 21% of the world’s freshwater resources,” it is no wonder why the county of Oswego has implemented various government agencies into the fight against environmental pollution. On Sept. 1, Oswego County Department of Waste Director Michael Lutestanski addressed the public by emphasizing that “improper disposal of hazardous items is dangerous for humans, pets, and the environment, which is why it is crucial to make sure these items are disposed of properly.” The hazardous waste facility not only accommodates the disposal of household waste; in a collaborative effort with PaintCare, the facility also serves as a “drop-off site for leftover latex and oil-based architectural paints, primers, stains, sealers, and varnishes,” according to the official government website of Oswego County. 

While the initiatives of local and state governments have made significant advances in environmental policy across the nation, the residents of towns, cities, and counties are ultimately responsible for ensuring the proper disposal of their hazardous waste products. The Hazardous Waste Facility of Volney will shut its doors for the season on Sept. 30, which leaves the residents of Oswego County just under three weeks to access this appropriate outlet. Currently, the facility operates on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. “We urge residents to bring their unwanted hazardous waste products to the… Facility before it closes for the season,” Lutestanski said in one final preservationist appeal. 

Photo via: Leonid Danilov via Pexels