How Do I Dispose of my...
We often receive calls from the public on how to dispose of various items. We partner with different entities, such as the Barnstable County Department of Public Health, Bourne Integrated Solid Waste Management, and the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, to ensure the safe disposal of hazardous materials. Here are a few of the more common items the public wants to give away to us:
1. Ammunition: We do not collect old ammunition. Police Departments are better prepared to handle unwanted ammunition and firearms. For information on how to dispose of unwanted ammunition, including firearms, and fireworks click here. Please contact the Police Department prior to transporting and attempting to dispose of these items. If you encounter military ordnance, do not attempt to move it. Call 911 instead.
2.Child Car Seats: Bourne Fire/Rescue does not accept donations of used child passenger safety (car) seats for reuse, because we are unable to verify the safety of a used seat.
3. Expired Road and Marine Flares: Bourne Fire/Rescue does participate in the flare disposal program through the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension. Flares can be brought to any of the three staffed fire stations, and you can find additional information here.
4. Fire Extinguishers: We do not collect expired or used fire extinguishers. They can be disposed of at the Bourne Integrated Solid Waste Management.
5. Household Chemicals: We do not collect unused and unwanted chemicals. Each year, the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension conducts household hazardous waste collection throughout Barnstable County. There are four dates and locations for the Upper Cape, and you can find the flyer here.
6. Medical Sharps: Bourne Fire/Rescue does collect used medical sharps such as needles, syringes, and lancets at our headquarters station. Sharps need to be in an approved sharps container for disposal. If you do not have one, we will provide one. You can find out more about the program here. This does not include unused medications, see number nine below.
7. Mecury-containing Devices: It might not seem like it, but mercury is a dangerous chemical, and there have been several incidents around Barnstable County that required a specialized hazardous materials team response for spilled mercury. Bourne Fire/Rescue does not collect items containing mercury. You can find out more information on mercury through the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has a searchable map to find locations where to safely dispose of mercury, including Bourne Integrated Solid Waste Management.
8. Outdated smoke and CO alarms: We have no use for expired smoke or CO alarms. Ionization smoke alarms contain trace amounts of radioactive alpha particles. The EPA indicates that there is no health threat from ionization smoke alarms as long as they are not damaged. There are no special disposal requirements and they may be thrown away with household garbage.
9. Unused medications: We cannot accept unused medications. The Bourne Police Department has a collection vault in their lobby, and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducts the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. For additional information on disposing of unused medications, check with the DEA here.