Burnet County numbers show BOPATE collections not a waste
Burnet County commissioners shared statistics on the amount of waste disposed of during the county’s BOPATE collection last month during their regular meeting on Tuesday, May 23. About 265 vehicles dropped off tough-to-toss trash during the waste disposal event, amounting to several tons of refuse.
Burnet County residents brought old batteries, oil, paint, antifreeze, tires, and electronics — BOPATE — to Marble Falls High School’s Mustang Stadium for proper and safe disposal, away from vital water sources.
“Being a county that borders five lakes, protecting our surface and groundwater is of tantamount importance,” Commissioner Joe Don Dockery told DailyTrib.com.
Trash collections such as BOPATE events keep toxic waste from harming lakes, rivers, and groundwater. According to an article from the Mid-America Regional Council, one quart of oil poured down a storm drain can contaminate up to 1 million gallons of water.
Of the 265 vehicles that pulled through Mustang Stadium, 67, or 25.3 percent, were from Marble Falls, 50 were from Burnet, and 42 were from Meadowlakes. The remaining vehicles belonged to residents from other Burnet County communities.
The BOPATE event was mostly free, aside from a $2 charge on each tire after 10 from a single resident. Funding came from a collection of Highland Lakes governments, organizations, and businesses, including Burnet County, the city of Horseshoe Bay, the Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District, Reliable Tire Disposal, Hill Country Recycling, Goodwill Central Texas, Burnet County Community Services Restitution Program, and the 33rd and 424th Judicial District’s Intermediate Sanction Facility.
According to Waste Management, BOPATE materials require special handling and are difficult to dispose. At the April 29 event, 733 tires were tossed and a cumulative 16,550 pounds of oil, oil filters, and antifreeze were collected.
The next big trash event in Burnet County is the household hazardous waste collection on Oct. 21. Residents can toss anything with harsh chemicals such as pesticides, paints, fuels, and fluorescent light bulbs at no cost.