SafeChem Drop-off station and Swap Shop now open in Kent County

The Kent County Department of Public Works opened the new SafeChem Drop-off station and Swap Shop on Saturday, January 8, at 1045 Wealthy St. SW.

The drop-off station is part of the new Wealthy Street Recycling and Administration Center adjacent to the Recycling and Education Facility.

“The SafeChem drop-off station and Swap Shop are a real asset for our community,” said Dar Baas, director of the Kent County Department of Public Works. “Not only do they keep hazardous materials out of area landfills and the environment, they also provide people free products to avoid them being discarded in the first place,” said Baas. The new SafeChem Drop-off station allows customers to safely drop off household waste such as cleaners, garden or garage products.

According to the Kent County DPW, a product is considered hazardous if it has one or more of the following properties:

• Toxic – poisonous or lethal when ingested, touched or inhaled;• Flammable – ignitable and burns easily;• Corrosive – eats through materials and living tissue; or• Reactive – can possibly explode or react with other chemicals

If you have questions about what is eligible for drop-off, hours or contact information, visitwww.reimaginetrash.org. Latex paint is one of the materials not accepted.

The new SafeChem Drop-off station includes a covered canopy for inclement weather and is strategically located to keep any truck or customer traffic away from the residential neighborhood. It also includes an electronics recycling station and reuse shop where products that are in good condition can be offered at no cost.

The free service is available to all residents of Kent County. While not currently open to small businesses, that may change in the future.

The new SafeChem Drop-off location on Wealthy Street replaces the Scribner Avenue location in Grand Rapids. There are additional SafeChem drop-off locations in Kentwood, Rockford, Byron Center and Wyoming.