News Release
For Immediate Release

TCOG to offer household hazardous waste collection event in Sherman

SHERMAN, APRIL 11, 2022 – Officials at Texoma Council of Governments have announced an appointment-only Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection event for Saturday, April 30, 2022 that will take place at the TCOG parking lot in Sherman. Collection will begin at 8:00 am and end at 12:00 pm.

Despite the lack of year-round HHW collection facilities in this region, TCOG is the recipient of grant funds from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and SEP penalty monies from a TCEQ enforcement action, each allowing the organization to offer regular collection events throughout the Texoma region.

“Without a local recycling center and nowhere to take this waste, Texoma can benefit greatly from this event,” stated Chris Carr, TCOG’s Regional Services Specialist.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), describes HHW as leftover household products that can catch fire, react, or explode under certain circumstances, or that are corrosive or toxic. Products, such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides can contain ingredients that are hazardous and require special care when you dispose of them. Improper disposal of these wastes can pollute the environment and threaten human health.

The HHW collection event has been a well-attended, high-demand event, serving as a means of protecting our region from the adverse effects of hazardous waste dumping, saving cities and counties the high cost of HHW disposal fees and reducing the cost of crews coming to pick up and dispose of the waste.

The last Grayson County collection event was held in October of 2020, where over 120 households participated. “Many locals have already benefitted from these events,” explained Carr. “In 2020, we were able to divert over 35,000 lbs. of HHW from landfills. This included 15,000 lbs. of latex paint and nearly 13,000 lbs. of electronic waste.”

Acceptable items collected at the event include household quantities of hazardous waste (household chemicals, batteries, pesticides, insecticides, etc.) and electronic items (computers, phones, printers, kitchen appliances, etc.) A complete list of acceptable and restricted items is available on TCOG’s website and can also be found on the HHW registration form.

Any Texoma resident can participate in the event at no cost, though the event is by appointment only. We ask that all participants pre-register and arrive no earlier than 10 minutes before your appointment to reduce wait times. To schedule an appointment, visit TCOG’s website at www.tcog.com.

For questions or additional information on household hazardous waste, contact Chris Carr at (903) 893-2161 ext. 3565.

The Texoma Council of Governments is a voluntary association of the local governments in Cooke, Fannin, and Grayson counties. Established in 1968, Texoma Council of Governments promotes economy and efficiency in the coordinated planning and development of the tri-county region through its community and economic development activities. Both directly and through contractors, the Council provides housing, utility assistance, and weatherization services for low-income citizens in the region and assists the elderly through a variety of Area Agency on Aging programs. The Council also facilitates the delivery of grant funding for homeland security and criminal justice.