Workers package electronic equipment at the collection site

SOUTHEAST—The lines were long but people didn’t mind the wait!

Putnam County’s semi-annual free Household Hazardous Waste and Computer-TV-Cell Phone Cleanup Day was termed a huge success Saturday by county health officials after more than 500 cars passed through a check point and tons of toxic materials found around the home—cleaners, pesticides, herbicides, oil based paint, automotive solvents, old television sets, computers and cell phones were safely disposed of.

Putnam Health Department official Larry Werper who coordinated the program in conjunction with Commissioner of Health Dr. Sherlita Amler stressed that the day provided a method to “remove toxic products from homes in an environmentally safe manner. We want to keep dangerous substances out of the environment and out of our drinking water supply.”

Werper said by recycling computers, televisions and cell phones, local residents were acting properly since landfills were not being filled.

Walt Thompson, coordinator of the Keep Putnam Beautiful Campaign, worked with several volunteers in collecting plastic bags that will also be recycled. Several thousand bags used at grocery stores, dry cleaners and fast food restaurants were collected during the six hour initiative.