Slower turnout for hazardous waste collection

The 11th season of the household hazardous waste collection in St. Joseph County ended Saturday on a quiet note.
Pat Kulikowski, secretary of the St. Joseph County Solid Waste Committee, said the fall collection historically generates less volume overall compared to the April event. But, she noted, Saturday was a different kind of slow.
Approximately 400 tires were collected, slightly more than half what was taken in during the April event but twice as many as the fall 2015 collection.
About 10,000 pounds of electronics were dropped off. Again, about half of the spring collection and one-third less than what was collected a year ago.
Hazardous waste netted about 3,500 pounds, less than half of the 7,500 dropped off in the fall last year.
One factor contributing to the low turnout, she speculated, was the fact Waste Management during the month of September accepted televisions at no cost. Considering there is a $10 fee to drop off a television or computer monitor at the twice-a-year Centreville collection, Kulikowski suspected a number of people took advantage of the Waste Management promotion.
The Solid Waste Committee allocates $20,000 annually toward the two recycling events.