Contact: Sam Brungardt, 651-757-2249
St. Paul, Minn. — The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is urging home and business owners to move or dispose of products that could become hazardous wastes from flood-prone basements, workshops, garages and other areas.
Batteries, solvents, paints, paint thinners, pesticides, household cleaners and other chemicals that you no longer need can be taken to your county’s household hazardous waste facility. A handy checklist for identifying hazardous household products is available on the MPCA website.
If you are a Minnesota resident, you can use an application on the MPCA website to locate your county’s household hazardous waste collection site.
“Move items that you must keep to a place that you are certain will not flood,” Jennifer Volkman, MPCA household hazardous waste specialist, advised.
“It’s also a good idea to move canned goods and other foodstuffs so they will be out of harm’s way. Household products and food containers that come in contact with floodwater are assumed to be contaminated and will have to be thrown away. Putting containers of bottled or other potable water in a place that’s unlikely to be flooded is another wise precaution so you’ll have safe water to drink and to cook with.”
More information about minimizing pollution and health risks from flooding is available on the MPCA's Floods: Minimizing pollution and health risks page webpage.
