Let your coals cool! A fire in an EDCO collection truck in Poway recently was due to improperly disposed coals. Thanks to the attentiveness and quick action of the driver, the load was immediately dumped in a safe location and put out.
Please practice proper disposal of cooled barbecue coals and other hazardous waste to prevent heat-related cart and collection truck fires. It’s a message that’s important year-round, but critical for our “City in the Country” during peak fire season.
Tips to remember:
- Coals or ashes fresh from the barbecue should never be disposed directly into trash carts.
- Allow for the coals to cool for several days (at least 72 hours), and then placed in a metal container with a tight lid for proper disposal. To speed up the cooling process, you may carefully place coals in a metal container full of water to "drown" them like you would a campfire (never place them in plastic, paper or wood containers).
- Once cooled, dispose of coals in your trash cart. Do NOT put them inside your recycling or green waste bins.
Poway’s Hazardous Waste Yard is open every Saturday to receive your household hazardous waste.