The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Palm Beach County, Florida and Earth 911 Announce New Tool to Track Local and State Household Hazardous Waste Program Information
by Larry Cummings
Published on August 5th, 2003
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Web-enabled database can be used by other states through Earth 911 portal
Note: This was released only to environmental publications, not general media
Tallahassee, FL., August 5, 2003 – Collaboratively developed and implemented through a grant between the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Palm Beach County, Florida and Earth 911, the Statewide Florida Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Resource Tool is a new resource hosted on the Earth 911 Web site. The Tool allows Florida HHW Coordinators to enter and track information about their programs throughout the year rather than completing end-of-year surveys. More importantly, the system allows HHW program information to be shared among coordinators.
The grant used for this project was a continuation of a project to characterize all Florida HHW programs by developing a standard report format, content, and definitions. Instead of creating an annual report form just for the State’s purposes, Earth 911 helped create and house a web-enabled database tool to assist local coordinators with waste disposal cost, total pounds collected, and participation rate calculations. The Tool provides reports for comparison of collection methods within a program or comparison of various programs throughout the state. Furthermore, it fulfills the State’s annual reporting requirement by local HHW Coordinators.
The Statewide Florida HHW Resource Tool consists of two components:
- Data Entry for General Program, Aggregate Program, Collection Method and Waste Information — Allows the HHW Coordinator to enter qualitative and quantitative information about their program.
- Queries/Reports for General Information, Comparisons, and Summaries –Allows the HHW Coordinator to query the database for their program information or for information about other HHW programs in the state.
The Statewide Florida HHW Resource Tool application is replicable and can be utilized by other states through the Earth 911 portal. In theory, the Statewide Florida HHW Resource Tool could serve as a National HHW Coordinator Resource Tool to help track and improve HHW programs nationwide.
Florida HHW Coordinators will be able to access the Tool through the Earth 911 User Interface and should contact Irene Gleason with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for training information.
About Earth 911
Founded in 1991 and operated by Cleanup, Inc., the Earth 911 Public and Private Sector Partnership directs the public with free “call-to-action” awareness programs. Through a Web site (www.CLEANUP.org or www.Earth911.com) and toll-free bilingual hotline (1-800-CLEANUP), environmental information and resources are provided by local governments and readily available for all communities across the United States and Canada.
For More Information:
Media Relations, media@cleanup.org
