WUFT | News and public media for north central Florida
Alachua County Hazardous Waste Department saves the environment
By Marina Meretz
March 12, 2026 at 11:28 PM EDT
You may not think about it that often, but every time you throw something away, it has to go somewhere.
And for things like computers, chemicals or other dangerous materials, you can’t just throw them in a normal trash can.
That’s where Alachua County’s Hazardous Waste Department comes in. They partner with nine counties across north central Florida to do annual collection events.
WUFT’s Marina Meretz spoke with a hazardous waste coordinator Joshua Prouty about all the ways hazardous waste can impact the environment and our health.
She started by asking him what types of items are considered “hazardous.”
And for things like computers, chemicals or other dangerous materials, you can’t just throw them in a normal trash can.
That’s where Alachua County’s Hazardous Waste Department comes in. They partner with nine counties across north central Florida to do annual collection events.
WUFT’s Marina Meretz spoke with a hazardous waste coordinator Joshua Prouty about all the ways hazardous waste can impact the environment and our health.
She started by asking him what types of items are considered “hazardous.”