Spring Clean with Lake Charles Trash Bash!

Here's the quandary...You want to clean the garage, but what do you do with those old tires, motor oil and paint? How about all those out-dated computers? Well, here's your chance to take them to make sure they are disposed of properly. It's the City of Lake Charles, Team Green Trash Bash.

If you want to know what items they will and won't take, read on...

From the official press release City of Lake Charles:

The City of Lake Charles and Team Green of Southwest Louisiana, a City commission, are pleased to announce Residential Trash Bash 2012, which will be held on Saturday, April 14, from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at Chennault International Airport.

Said Mayor Roach:

"In the past, the public has responded with strong participation in Residential Trash Bash. The event gives residents an opportunity to ‘spring clean' unwanted items, properly dispose of them and contribute to the environmental well-being of the community. We encourage the participation of everyone with acceptable items.

"We appreciate all the many volunteers and sponsors who help make this important event possible. We particularly express our thanks to the Chennault International Airport for, again, this year, being our host site."

Acceptable items for residents to bring for free disposal include: antifreeze, automotive batteries, clothing, sofas, and other reusable items, miscellaneous trash (see unacceptable items below), motor oil, paint (labeled recyclable and reusable latex and oil), scrap metal, and tires (five tires only, under 400 pounds per tire), mercury and/or any product containing mercury, including: chemistry sets, fluorescent light bulbs (long or curved), maze toys, old alkaline batteries (purchased before 1990; check expiration date), thermometers (silver liquid in tube), and vials or jars of mercury (sometimes on necklaces), computer hardware, computer accessories (keyboards, mice, speakers, etc.), laptops, telephones, telephone systems, security systems, cell phones/bag phones, DVD movies & electronic games, digital cameras & digital video recorders (DVRs), digital picture frames, stereos/beepers/pagers, networking equipment, fax machines, circuit boards, (of any type), processors, monitors, telephone and computer cables, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), printers, toner cartridges, ink jet cartridges, portable navigation & all GPS devices.

Unacceptable items include: ammunition or explosives, asbestos materials, boats, compressed gas cylinders with valves, gas tanks, Freon items, household hazardous waste, lawn mowers with gas tank, medical waste/infectious material, medication, PCB ballasts, propane tanks, radioactive devices, fire/smoke detectors, aerosol paint cans, paint containing lead, varnish & stain paint cans, and unidentifiable paint cans, Ni/cd and lithium batteries.

The order for loading disposable items into your vehicle should be as follows from first to last in your vehicle or trailer: scrap metal, trash, electronics, tires (only five per car and under 400 pounds per tire), auto batteries, oil and antifreeze, reusable items, confidential papers, mercury and paint. Paint will be the first item that will come off your vehicle or trailer. No pre- or post-dumping; the city littering ordinance will be enforced.

Directions to Trash Bash: Participants traveling east or west on J. Bennett Johnston Avenue will turn south onto Merganser St. and continue traveling south until they reach the entrance to the Trash Bash staging area on the left (next to the AEROFRAME sign). Once there, they will be directed through the unloading stations. Participants should follow the directions to the entry point and continue moving. Parking is not allowed on Merganser St.

Sponsors include: Southern Recycling, Pumpelly Oil, Salvation Army, Colt, Inc, Allied Waste Services, Waste Management, Lake Area Industry Alliance, Interstate Batteries, Pepsi-Cola Lake Charles., Capital Area Corporate Recycling Council, Avery Archives, Chennault International Airport, Trash Bash volunteers, Team Green of Southwest Louisiana and the City of Lake Charles.

Team Green is a City commissioned organization. Its mission is to develop and sponsor projects that enhance the region's appearance and quality. Team Green of Southwest Louisiana Residential Trash Bash 2012 is a Great American Cleanup project of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Louisiana Beautiful.

For more information contact: 491-1481