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Extra safety measures will be in place. Please be patient and remain in your vehicle, as unloading may take a few additional minutes. All waste must be in your vehicle's truck bed, trunk, or hatchback, not the passenger compartment.

The city of Rainier will host a county-sponsored Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Event on Saturday, May 14, 2022, from 8 a.m. until noon. The HHW Event will be held at 690 West A Street, next to the Rainier Sewage Treatment Plant. You can drop off various toxic and unsafe household materials at no cost.

 Trained household hazardous waste technicians will unload materials from your vehicle. Items must be in containers of less than five (5) gallons and should be secured safely during transport. 

 Examples of acceptable items are:

lawn and garden chemicals herbicides and pesticides  pool and spa chemicals  light ballasts (remove from fixtures)  fluorescent tubes  art and hobby chemicals  solvents and thinners  items containing mercury  cleaners and detergents  poisons  ammunition fireworks and flares

paint and paint products latex and acrylic paint, oil-based paint, enamel, stains, lacquers, shellacs, varnishes, primers, etc.  propane and compressed gas cylinders batteries automotive, rechargeable, button, alkaline gas / diesel / fuels motor oil and antifreeze medical sharps in OSHA-approved, puncture-proof containers

Do NOT bring:

items containing asbestos garbage or trash

liquids in containers larger than five gallons

The Rainier Police Department (106 West B Street) accepts expired or unwanted medication in their lobby. Place items in the Safe Medication Disposal collection box during business hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Medical Sharps containers can be obtained and exchanged at the Columbia River Fire & Rescue – Rainier Station (211 West 2nd Street) during business hours Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Unwanted paint products, used motor oil, and electronics are accepted free of charge at the Transfer Station during regular business hours Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

There here will be four additional county-sponsored HHW collection events in 2022. Future Columbia County HHW collection dates and locations are:

• June 11, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Helens Transfer Station;
• August 27, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Helens Transfer Station; 
• October 1, 8 a.m. to noon in Clatskanie; and
• October 22, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Helens Transfer Station.

The HHW collection event schedule is also available on the Columbia County website at https://www.columbiacountyor.gov/departments/SolidWaste/hhw-schedule.

For more information, contact Kathy Boutin-Pasterz by phone at 503-397-7259 or by email at kathleen.boutin-pasterz@columbiacountyor.gov.