By Brandon Hearn

After years of planning and construction, the new Johnson County Household Waste Collection and Reuse facility (also known as Household Hazardous Waste) is now open in Overland Park off College Boulevard and Mastin Street.

The drop-off location is open to Johnson County residents by appointment only and allows them to safely dispose of their unwanted paint, household chemicals, yard waste and much more.

For 30 years the former Household Hazardous Waste facility was located in Mission inside the Nelson Wastewater Treatment Plant, and residents can expect a similar experience with the new location.

Since its inception, the Johnson County HHW program has collected more than 12 million pounds of waste from over 300,000 residents. Usable latex paint which comes to us from Johnson County homes, is mixed into several different colors on site, and is available for purchase for between $20-$35 per 5-gallon bucket; helping to fund the program.

Residents can also shop in the Free Store where usable products are made available to the public for “free.” This often include stain, household cleaners, car care products and more.

The Johnson County facility is open year-round on Monday, Wednesday and Thursdays as well as the second Saturday of the month (March through October). There are two options for scheduling a drop off at the Johnson County HHW facility: you can schedule online by going to jocogov.org/hhw or by calling 913-715-6907.

The city of Olathe also has a drop-off location that any Johnson County resident can use. More information is available by calling 913-971-9311.

For qualifying disabled or homebound residents, Johnson County offers a mobile collection service, for more information on that program please call 913-715-6907.

If you have any questions about recycling, HHW, or anything else environmental please contact me at brandon.hearn@jocogov.org or 913-715-6936. Without the support of all our incredible residents we would not have been able to complete this project, thank you for doing your part.

Brandon Hearn is environmental health specialist at the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment.