App helps keep hazardous materials out of municipal water systems
In response to incidents of contaminants ending up in municipal wastewater and stormwater systems, the City of Medicine Hat and Government of Alberta partnered to commission an app designed to help Albertans safely dispose of hazardous waste. The app was commissioned in summer 2016 and it was recently updated (in December 2017). The Alberta ChemSafe app provides information about safe handling of hazardous materials, and instructions of what to do in case of a spill.
It also tells Albertans where they can take hazardous materials for safe disposal, depending on their location. It provides three ways to find the closest "Drop-off Location"
- By entering your address or even just your postal code
- By using your location (requires location settings to be turned on)
- By selecting from a list of Alberta municipalities and areas
It also includes an extensive searchable database of common chemicals, which can be utilized using either common material names or formal chemical names, and safe disposal locations for the chemicals.
The app is available for free download on iTunes or Google Play.
Flyers and postcards are also available for municipalities to use in promoting the app to employees, residents and businesses to ensure proper disposal of hazardous waste.
