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| If you come across an unknown or unusual chemical in your home, please call the Mesa County Hazardous Waste Collection Facility for help at 970-256-9543. |
On one occasion, a resident arrived at the facility with a very old ceramic bottle wrapped up and covered. He explained that the bottle came from his uncle, and he thought the bottle contained sulfur mustard, also known as mustard gas! The staff was terrified by the thought of someone having mustard gas stored in their house for many years, not to mention the danger it posed to the young man bringing it in and the employees now dealing with it.
Staff cautiously considered how best to proceed with handling the unknown chemical. They needed to make sure the mixture was packed, shipped off, and disposed of properly. They knew they needed to identify this unknown chemical and verify if it truly was sulfur mustard. They also knew that whatever this chemical was, it could not be shipped in the ceramic jug, and we would have to transfer the contents into a suitable shipping container.
Luckily, their disposal vendor is an expert on all things hazardous, and he was planning a site visit. In the meantime, staff stored the bottle in a flam cabinet in the chemical processing building. When the vendor arrived, the team took numerous safety precautions and held their breath as they proceeded to open the jug carefully. With hearts pounding and sweat dripping down their brows, they were shocked to see that when we had opened the bottle, it was completely empty! They all had to laugh! It was a great comedic relief to all that this supposed chemical was just hot air.
If you come across an unknown or unusual chemical in your home, please call the Mesa County Hazardous Waste Collection Facility for help at 970-256-9543. Keep yourself, your family, and our environment safe by storing household chemicals away from food, upright in original/labeled, leak-proof containers, and protected from extreme weather and fire hazards.