Two Santa Cruz refuse truck drivers had an unpleasant surprise when doing their routes on Tuesday, Aug. 23: someone had illegally disposed of a strong, unspecified acid in their trash can. The drivers noticed fumes coming from the truck’s load and called for a hazardous materials spill response, after which the entire load was taken to the landfill and buried. A Public Works press release says the drivers experienced bad headaches and difficulty breathing due to “toxic effects of exposure to an unspecified gas.” The department is reminding residents to dispose of all acids, alkalis, ammonia, bleach pesticides, solvents, fuels and other such wastes to a Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Center. Learn more about this at cityofsantacruz.com.
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