Last Thursday, July 28, the Pellitteri Waste Systems building at Kipp Street was temporarily evacuated due to their workers’ exposure to a chemical that was likely delivered to their facility in the recycling material they process.  According to the Madison Fire Department, Pellitteri workers felt nauseated and were coughing, and one worker was transported to the hospital.  Pellitteri Waste Systems receives the recycling material from the City of Madison and other municipalities for their workers to sort and process.  While neither the source of the chemical, nor what the chemical was, is presently known, city residents are reminded to only put approved recyclables in your recycling cart.
 
On the city website, and included with this release, is a list of approved recyclable materials.  The list is not exhaustive, but provides general guidance as to what can and cannot be recycled.  As a rule of thumb, all eligible containers, cans, and bottles should be empty and clean prior to placing them into the recycling cart.  Aerosol cans must also be empty prior to placing them in the recycling cart.
 
Dane County residents with chemicals in need of disposal should take them to the Dane County Clean Sweep, which is located at 7102 US Highway 12 at the Dane County landfill complex.  Chemicals should never be placed into the recycling or refuse containers.  As shown in the incident at Pellitteri, improper chemical disposal can hurt the people laboring to keep our city clean and sustainable.
 
Thankfully, the incident at Pellitteri was safely and quickly resolved by Pellitteri staff and the Madison Fire Department.  Workers were able to safely return the next day and it caused no disruptions in recycling services.  However, no one wants a repeat of this incident.  City residents with questions about how to dispose of their unwanted or unneeded material are encouraged to use the attached list, use the Streets Division website, or contact the Streets Division directly for assistance.  Helping residents make good choices with their material is part of the Streets Division mission, and Streets Division staff will gladly provide the information needed. 
 
The Streets Division offices can be reached from 7am to 4pm Monday to Friday or via email.  Residents east of S. Park Street, and that includes the isthmus, can call 608-246-4532.  Residents west of S. Park Street can contact 608-266-4681    Information about Dane County Clean Sweep can be found at their website, or by calling them at 608-838-3212.