Fort Worth: Dispose Wisely, Save Waterways

0:00It's April 9, I'm Cory with the story, and this is Dallas News Today, local news powered by AI. Fort Worth folks, you can't just toss detergents or cooking oils in your regular trash fins anymore. Those everyday items can pollute our waterways when rain washes them into storm drains, which dumps straight into rivers and lakes without any cleanup, unlike your sink or toilet water that heads to a treatment plan first. The city bans a bunch more from landfills too, like hazardous chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, petroleum products, tires, batteries, auto parts, liquid waste, and even electronics or fridges with coolants, construction debris and explosives make the no-go list as well. Residents have options to ditch this stuff right, for drop off stations around town, including spots on Brennan Avenue, Martin Luther King Freeway, Old Hempill Road, and Hillshare Drive. Hit up the Environmental Collection Center on Bridge Street for chemicals and detergents,

1:01keep them in labeled containers, break these rules, and you're looking at real penalties under the Texas Litter Abitamin Act, small dumps under 5 pounds or 5 gallons, that's a class C misdemeanor with up to $500 in fines. Bigger halls ramp up to class A with fines hitting $4,000 in possible jail time up to a year. Check the city's website for the full accepted list at each spot, and stay clean out there to keep our water safe.