While lead is a naturally occurring metal, exposure to lead is a serious health risk to children who are under the age of six. The Hazardous Waste Management Program is joining organizations and groups nation-wide to bring attention to the dangers of lead exposure and poisoning during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Oct. 25-31.
Sea Mar Community Health Centers (Sea Mar) was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency for their work to reduce hazardous exposures among the Latino community in South King County. Sea Mar provides quality, comprehensive health, human, housing, educational and cultural services to communities throughout Washington. The Haz Waste Program and Sea Mar partner to provide education and outreach services to encourage the Spanish-speaking community to choose safer cleaning products and practices.
This November, a Spanish-language campaign, “Ojo con el cloro” (be careful with bleach), will launch to raise awareness about using bleach safely. It features a “super mom” who is on a mission to fight germs in her home. She offers viewers some simple advice – like diluting bleach with water – to make using bleach safer. The campaign will be broadcast on television, social media, and radio channels serving the Latino community and through community partners like St. Vincent de Paul.
In 2013, the King County Board of Health passed a Rule and Regulation to create permanent drug-take back programming for King County residents. Since that time, King County departments and partners developed a successful “Don’t Hang on to Meds” campaign, which featured real-world stories on how secure medicine storage and disposal saves lives by preventing inappropriate access to medicines in the home. Secure medicine return also prevents medicine from harming our land, water, and animals.
While lead is a naturally occurring metal, exposure to lead is a serious health risk to children who are under the age of six. The Hazardous Waste Management Program is joining organizations and groups nation-wide to bring attention to the dangers of lead exposure and poisoning during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Oct. 25-31.
Many of us are feeling a heightened awareness of the surfaces we touch and how to clean them. Choosing a product can be confusing. You can take the guesswork out by opting for cleaning products that have a Safer Choice label. Safer Choice is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) product certification and labeling program. This September, the EPA recognized the Haz Waste Program as a Safer Choice Partner of the Year.
The City of Bellevue is among local King County cities finding creative ways to adapt their Hazardous Waste Management Program grant-funded educational activities to the pandemic. At an early September event, city staff came together with service organization Hopelink and the Bellevue School District for a drive-through event to provide environmental conservation kits.
Recycling unwanted paint will soon get easier for residents and businesses in King County. This is thanks to a new law that creates an industry funded and run paint program that will be implemented in 2021 across Washington State.
King County residents are showing up in droves at collection and recycling events hosted by cities and tribes this season. People are participating in what is becoming known as "the purge," where people staying home due to the pandemic are clearing out their homes and getting rid of things they no longer need.
As businesses across King County face waves of economic change due to the pandemic, Hazardous Waste Management Program’s (Haz Waste Program) business service team is acting quickly to meet the needs of local businesses who want to continue good hazardous material management.
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