How To Dispose Of Old Generator Fuel Before Start Of Hurricane Season

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Hurricane season starts on June 1 and residents should prepare their generator so that it is running properly this season, and that includes replacing the fuel. The shelf-life of gasoline is three to six months and up to one year for diesel fuel. Draining and safely disposing of the old fuel should be an annual part of any hurricane preparations.

To safely dispose of the old fuel and other unwanted electronics and chemicals, Pinellas County offers two free and convenient options.

The Household Electronics and Chemical Collection Center (HEC3) is open Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., and is located at 2855 109th Ave. N., in St. Petersburg.

Residents can bring up to 5 five-gallon containers of gasoline, diesel, or kerosene. Fuels must not be in containers larger than five gallons. Containers can be returned to residents after the fuels are deposited into collection tanks, as long has the fuel has not been mixed with any other chemicals or water.

Residents can also drop off electronics such as cell phones, computers, TVs, power supplies and monitors.

Chemicals such as automotive fluids, rechargeable batteries, paint, cleaning supplies, pesticides and fluorescent bulbs, along with other mercury-containing devices, are also accepted. Residents should not mix chemicals together or place them in dark plastic bags, and should keep products in original, labeled containers, if possible. Individual batteries should be placed in separate plastic bags or have terminals covered with heavy tape to prevent short-circuits.

Items that will not be accepted include generators, air conditioning units and other large appliances, microwaves, printers, radioactive, biological or infectious waste, fire extinguishers, tires and propane tanks larger than 1lb. Disposal options for hundreds of items can be found in the Where Does it Go? Search Tool at www.pinellascounty.org/wheredoesitgo.

The Pinellas County Department of Solid Waste also offers Mobile Collection events on select Saturdays, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., at locations around the county. The HEC3 and Mobile Collection events are only available to Pinellas County residents for the collection of unwanted household electronics and chemicals.

Scheduled events are subject to change due to severe weather or other unforeseen events.

To learn about COVID-19 handling procedures before and during your visit, please review the following websites:

• For HEC3 safety procedures, visit: www.pinellascounty.org/hec3

• For Mobile Collection procedures, visit: www.pinellascounty.org/mobileoptions

Electronics and chemicals generated by businesses are not accepted at mobile collection events and are only accepted at HEC3 on select days for a fee. For business collection dates and fees, visit www.pinellascounty.org/bizwaste.

For detailed information about accepted items, quantity limits, and hours, visit www.pinellascounty.org/hec3 or call (727) 464-7500.

This press release was produced by the Pinellas County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.