(WLTX) People in approximately 1000 vehicles came to the State Fairgrounds Saturday afternoon to participate in another WLTX recycling event. The gates opened shortly after 9:30am and a steady stream of cars and trucks made their way through the long lines to the recycling area.
People brought old computers, printers, TV sets, fans, microwaves, stereos, mixers, and other household appliances that had seen better days. In addition, a large amount of scrap metal was collected along with many tires.
This event featured one very important additional element - household hazardous waste. This was the first time a WLTX recycle event offered the chance to get rid of old paint, turpentine, oil, stain, and a number of other items that no one wants to be dumped in the back yard or down a river. 80% of the people who came to recycles items, had some form of hazardous waste.
WLTX again partnered with Richland County for this very successful event. Due to the expected heavy traffic associated with the event, The State Fairgrounds volunteered their site to be used as the collection point. This gave the recycle experts much needed room for their trucks and forklifts, and a large amount of space used for sorting the hazardous waste.
Some people told News 19 that they were finally able to get rid of paint cans that had been taking up room in their garage for more than 10 years. Even though the lines were long and the temperature hot, the mood remained very positive. People were genuinely happy to be a part of making the Midlands a more environmentally safe place to live.
WLTX would like to thank everyone who came to the big event. Another recycling day will be scheduled for fall.