The Upper Valley-Lake Sunapee Planning Commission is holding a Hazardous Waste and Unwanted Medicine Collection in our area, in partnership with local police departments. This collection is free for residents of Goshen and Lempster, and Washington (other area residents may bring materials to the collections but will have to pay a fee).

 The collections will be held from 9 am – noon, at the Sunapee Highway Garage on Route 11 on Saturday, August 18th, and at the Claremont DPW Garage on Grandview Street on Saturday, September 15th.

You can bring your unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications (including veterinary medicine) as follows:

• Medicines in their original containers
• Leave labels on medicine
• Black out patient’s name only
• Do NOT bring sharps or needles (EpiPens are OK)

 Hazardous materials include:

From the Home -Rechargeable and button batteries, oven cleaners, floor and metal polishes, rug and upholstery cleaners, photo chemicals, chemistry sets, drain and toilet cleaners, spot removers

From the Workbench – Oil paint, stains, varnishes, wood preservatives, paint strippers, paint thinners, adhesives.  (No latex paint.)

From the Garden – Pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides), chemical fertilizers, weed killers, moth balls, flea control products.

From the Garage – Fuel, gasoline, kerosene, antifreeze, engine degreaser, brake fluid, car wax, polishes, driveway sealer, roofing tar, swimming pool chemicals.

 If you have an item and you are not sure if it is hazardous, read the label. If there are cautionary statements that read: CAUTION, DANGER, HAZARD or WARNING then any waste should be treated as hazardous waste. Do not bring latex paint, fluorescent bulbs, motor oil or medical waste (aside from unwanted medications as listed above).

Let me know if I can assist in any way, or provide more information,

Steve

Representative Steven Smith

PO Box 624, Charlestown, NH 03603        603-826-5996

nhfirst@gmail.com                         

July 26, 2012 marks the one year anniversary of HB 401 (Relative to postsecondary training for workers with disabilities) becoming law and taking effect.  This bill allows workers with disabilities to partner with employers to see if they can do a job, and gain practical experience that can help them build a future.  This was one of the more satisfying bills that we worked on in the Labor, Industrial, and Rehabilitative Services Committee.  Very few people are truly disabled.  They all have a contribution to make.  We just need to take extra steps to help them find the things that they can do.

There were two main challenges to this bill.  Employers who were willing to participate were rightly concerned about liability.  The concern was that even as an intern, the worker may technically be an employee.  In the event that the internship didn’t work out, the employer could be on the hook for workman’s compensation or disability payments.  Another concern was that employers would use these interns to displace more expensive existing workers.  We were able to iron out these two problems and build protection into the bill.

We heard testimony in the committee from a man who, despite the risks, was offered an internship and was then eventually hired by a NH hotel.  It was a privilege hearing him describe his experience and the pride in his voice.  Spread the word and help give someone a chance to succeed.

If you are a worker with a disability, or an employer willing to give someone a chance, contact the NH Department of Labor by email via http://www.labor.state.nh.us or by phone at (603) 271-3176.  You can also contact me for assistance. through my website at http://steve4nh.com, or by mail at  PO Box 624 Charlestown, NH 03603, or by phone at 603-826-5996

Representative Steven Smith