News

Landfill fire prompts warning about tossing hazardous materials in garbage

By Bill Moss, Published: May 20, 2019

After a fire broke out at the Henderson County Transfer Station late Thursday night, the county's environmental programs coordinator is warning residents not to throw hazardous or combustible materials into the household garbage.

The blaze was inside a semi-trailer that hauls the county’s garbage to a landfill in South Carolina. Fortunately, a Henderson County Solid Waste employee was in the right place at the right time. Tyler Martone was driving by the facility when he noticed the flames and notified appropriate county staff, who then dialed 911. The fire was extinguished, and the facility is back to normal operations.

“The cause of the fire is unknown, but volatile and hazardous materials like chemicals, electronics and batteries can ignite in the right conditions. This incident is the reason why it’s important for residents to dispose of certain household items properly,” stresses Environmental Programs Coordinator, Christine Brown. “We encourage residents to take advantage of the Solid Waste daily programs and special events.”

“Fires would be a common occurrence if it wasn’t for the materials we pull out of the waste stream and separate daily at the Transfer Station and Convenience Center as well as at our special Household Hazardous Waste events,” says Greg Wiggins, Cane Creek Sewer & Solid Waste Operations Manager.

Residents can drop-off batteries, metals, appliances and peripheral electronics Monday - Saturday at no charge from 7:00am to 4:00 pm at the Henderson County Convenience Center, located at 265 Convenience Center Drive, Hendersonville, NC 28791.

Henderson County hosts annual Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) events at the Convenience Center in the spring and fall to provide safe recycling and disposal of household chemicals, cleaners and pesticides. The next HHW events will be September 10, October 8 and November 19 from 8:00 am to Noon.

Additionally, the Paint Recycling Program will operate at the Transfer Station during the same dates and times. All paint and paint-related materials (except spray paints) incur a $2 per gallon container fee, regardless of the amount within. No dried or solid paints are accepted. Please note there is a 30-gallon per individual per event limit on paint recycling during this program.

For more information on the county’s Solid Waste programs, visit www.hcrecycles.org or contact Henderson County Cane Creek Sewer & Solid Waste Operations Manager, Greg Wiggins, at (828) 697-4505 or Environmental Programs Coordinator, Christine Brown at (828) 694-6524.