Press Release

WASTE MANAGEMENT STATEMENT REGARDING FIRE AT THE
MORENO VALLEY TRANSFER STATION ON APRIL 7
Incident occurred today at 5:15 a.m.

Moreno Valley, CA, April 7, 2009 - This morning, a minor fire occurred at the Waste Management Moreno Valley transfer station located at 17700 Indian Avenue in Moreno Valley.

Waste Management safety measures and processes were activated upon discovery of the fire and the fire was quickly and safely put out. There were no injuries.

“The fire was likely caused by household chemicals being placed by a customer in their trash container,” said Steven Powell, District Manager for WM. “Also, we know that certain chemicals used to clean pools and hot tubs can ignite when mixed with other substances – that could have also caused the fire.”

With warmer weather upon us, Waste Management would like to take this opportunity to remind our customers that summertime fun activities – including grilling and backyard pool parties - can pose unique challenges to trash disposal and recycling efforts.

Here are some tips to staying safe as the weather heats up:

Make sure you safely disposing of barbecue coals and ashes
Coals or ashes fresh from the barbecue should never be disposed directly into your collection container. They should instead be cooled for several days, 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).

“Just as those coals helped to get the fire started in your barbecue, they can also start a fire in your trash container or, once emptied into the back of one of our trucks, ignite the materials around it,” said Powell. “Coals that appear to be cooled can still start a fire in the bin or collection truck and create an unsafe situation for both you and your neighbors and our employees. Remember that coals can stay hot for hours - or even days - after you have finished using them.”

Keep pool chemicals out of the trash
Pool chemicals are considered household hazardous waste in California and should never be put - in any amount - in trash or recycling containers. Pool chemicals involved in fire or toxic vapor releases are likely to include those that add chlorine or a chlorine ion to the pool water for bacterial control. Here are some tips for handling pool chemicals:
  • Minimize the different types of chemicals you store.
  • Don't buy more than you will consume in a season. Some of the more hazardous pool chemicals don't keep well.
  • Keep wet hands and dirty scoops out of your chemicals. Contamination is often a cause of problems.
  • Don't store pool chemicals where other materials can fall into them.
  • Never mix chemicals. When adding chemicals to your pool allow one to disappear before adding another.
  • Use gloves and glasses and make sure chemicals are locked away from small children.
Make sure you keep green waste, recyclables and trash separate Trash contamination in household recyclables and green waste defeats the goals of recycling programs, which WM implements in Inland Empire communities to protect the environment by conserving landfill space and helping to conserve natural resources. Here are number of tips to help you keep up with your recycling this summer:
  • Keep a separate container just for recyclables in a convenient place, such as the kitchen, laundry room or backyard.
  • Make sure a separate container for trash is easily accessible for kids enjoying ice cream treats, art projects or water balloon fights.
  • When entertaining, be sure to provide a convenient receptacle where your guests can place their plastic, glass or aluminum beverage containers.
  • Make sure recyclable bottles, cans or containers touched by sticky hands or filled with food are rinsed before placing them in your recycling cart or bin.
  • Consider crushing aluminum cans to help save space while storing them.
  • Do not place plastic bags in your green waste cart and keep your yard clippings and other greenwaste free of food, animal waste or other trash.


Waste Management’s El Sobrante Landfill is located in the unincorporated area of Riverside County. The landfill serves more than one million Inland Empire residents and is a critical component of Riverside County and the greater Los Angeles region’s infrastructure. The site has more than XXX acres in permanent preservation and is a critical component of preserving open space in Riverside County. For more information on the landfill, please go to www.keepinginlandempireclean.com.

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