Chesapeake In The Know

A couple of weeks ago the load in one of our garbage trucks caught on fire. No one was hurt and the equipment was not significantly damaged, all thanks to the quick actions of the truck operator. When incidents like this happen, the operator dumps their load onto the street as soon as it’s safe to do so. The Fire Department responds to extinguish the fire then the Public Works Department sends out a crew for cleanup. It can be a costly incident, not to mention potentially dangerous.

Garbage truck fires come from waste that should never have gone into the bin in the first place. This includes paint, paint thinners, fuel, pool chemicals, insecticides, and other hazardous materials. These items need to be properly disposed of through the SPSA Household Hazardous Waste Program. You can find all of those details at SPSA.com.

Another fire hazard is used charcoal and fire wood. These items should never be thrown away immediately after use. They should be cooled, submerged in water for several days, drained, bagged, and then disposed of in your brown bin.  Same thing goes for cigarettes.

Help us keep everyone safe by properly disposing of those hazardous and potentially flammable materials!