FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Brigitte Kantor, Lee County Solid Waste Division
              (239) 338-3302

Pollution Solution for Lee County Residents Household Chemical & Electronic Waste Collection Saturday, May 15, 2004 Page Field, N. Airport Rd., Ft.Myers, 8 AM - 2 PM

FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 12, 2004) - Residents of Lee County can help in the effort to safeguard the health of our environment by participating in the Household Chemical Waste and Electronics Collection held by the Lee County Solid Waste Division on May 15th at Page Field (North Airport Road) in Fort Myers, Florida. Gates will open at 8 AM and close at 2 PM.

Interested residents may bring old and unwanted paint, thinners, polishers/strippers, drain cleaners, pool chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, all automotive fluids, car and boat batteries, fluorescent tubes, ammunition and flares, propane gas grill tanks, anything labeled corrosive, poison, flammable, oxidizer or toxic.

Computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, scanners, fax machines, copiers, televisions, stereos, VCR's, cell phones, and other electronic devices are also collected. All items are accepted whether in working or non-working condition.

This collection is strictly for residential households! NO BUSINESSES, PLEASE.

For the safety of the residents we ask that smoking material is extinguished when entering the facility and that residents remain in their vehicles during the unloading process.

Remember to please keep our environment save and clean by keeping all these materials out of our normal solid waste stream!

The next collection is scheduled for July 24, 2004 in Cape Coral at the Public Works Annex, off Everest Pkwy.

At the previous collection, March 30th, 2004, 1,336 cars passed through the gates. Among the many different materials collected roughly 1,500 gallons were used automotive oil, 371 lead acid batters, 110 gallons antifreeze, 292 propane gas tanks, and 15 tons recyclable latex paint. In addition, 10 tons of electronic items were taken in for recycling.

Thanks for your participation.