Safe and convenient household hazardous material disposal returns to the Kent-Covington area Sept. 6-8, when the Wastemobile comes to town.

The Wastemobile will be in the parking lot of Puget Sound Fire Station No. 75, 15635 SE 272nd St., Kent, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Residents can drop off household hazardous waste items including pesticides, oil-based paints, automotive products (oil, antifreeze, lamps, etc.), fluorescent bulbs/tubes and other items without a charge. The service is pre-paid through garbage and sewer utility fees.

Created in 1989, the Wastemobile was the first traveling hazardous waste collection program in the nation. It is operated by the Hazardous Waste Management Program and goes throughout the county from later winter into fall.

Residents help protect the environment and public health by safely disposing of the hazardous materials and keeping them out of drains and landfills. Since first hitting the road, the Wastemobile has collected more than 17,000 tons of hazardous household waste from nearly 500,000 customers.

The Wastemobile also provides free reusable products to the public, such as oil-based paint, stain and primer, plus wood care and cleaning products. These products are subject to availability, and residents must sign a release form prior to receiving the materials.

More disposal solutions with permanent collection sites

For South King County residents, the Auburn Wastemobile is a convenient option for household hazardous waste disposal. It can be found in the northwest parking lot of The Outlet Collection, 1101 Outlet Collection Drive SW, near Sports Authority. It operates every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Household hazardous waste disposal is also available at the Factoria Recycling and Transfer station, 13800 SE 32nd St., Bellevue. Learn about this and other household and business hazardous waste disposal options at hazwastehelp.org. Questions about household hazardous waste? Call 206-296-4692. To get more information about business hazardous waste disposal, call 206-263-8899.

The Wastemobile is one of the services provided by the Hazardous Waste Management Program through a partnership of more than 40 city, county and tribal governments working together in King County to reduce threats posed from hazardous materials and wastes.