MOORPARK : City to Vote on Joining Waste Disposal Effort

Simi Valley and Moorpark officials are anxiously awaiting the expected opening later this month of a hazardous material recycling center--two years in the making--that will allow residents to legally dispose of used oil, paints, car batteries and antifreeze.

“We’ve been heading in this direction for quite some time,” Moorpark Mayor Paul Lawrason said Monday. “You need a place to dispose of those things. Obviously, we have nothing like that in our city at the present time.”

The Moorpark City Council on Wednesday will vote on whether to officially join Simi Valley in helping pay for construction and operation of the center at 670-A W. Los Angeles Ave. in Simi Valley.

Under the action to be considered by the council, Moorpark would pay $15,500 as its portion of the $70,000 cost of building the center, and would agree to pay between $27.50 and $51 for each trip to the center by a Moorpark resident, based upon the amount of waste dropped off.

The council will consider the action at its meeting beginning at 7 p.m. in City Hall.

The facility, which is already built, is scheduled to open on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m., weather permitting, on an appointment-only basis. Officials hoped it have it open by Feb. 12, but said difficulties related to last month’s earthquake could delay that by a week or two.

Once the recycling center opens, residents will be allowed to drop off up to 10 gallons of paint or antifreeze, two automotive batteries and up to 20 gallons of used motor oil per trip. Simi Valley Councilman Bill Davis said it makes sense for the two east county cities to join forces in establishing the center.

“This way you pool resources,” Davis said. “It costs both cities less money to build and serves that many more people. You’re picking up many, many more people and saving taxpayer dollars.”