HAMILTON — Seven new billboards around Butler County now sport this message: “Keep Butler County Clean, Don't Litter — Our street is not a trashcan!” The billboards also serve as a reminder of the annual spring cleanup today in Hamilton, said Sue Stephenson, program manager for Butler County Recycling and Litter Prevention.

        The cleanup will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is open to all ages. Volunteers should meet at Madison Elementary School at 250 N. Ninth St. in Hamilton, and will be provided T-shirts, lunch and beverages.

        Ross Middle School sixth- grader Luke Wurlzebacher, 11, designed the billboard.

        His design was chosen recently from nearly 1,000 entries as winner of the second “Design-A-Billboard” contest. The contest was open to all Butler County children in grades 3-6 and was sponsored by Butler County Recycling and Litter Prevention.

        In addition to the billboards, Luke's design was reproduced on T-shirts distributed to the top 50 runners-up and their teachers.

        Over the past several years, tons of trash, tires, scrap metal and other waste have been collected in the spring cleanup.

        Two other cleanup or collection efforts are also coming soon in the county:

        • On May 11, the Butler County Solid Waste District will hold its annual household hazardous waste drop-off day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Garfield Junior High School, 250 N. Fair Ave.

        The event is for Butler County residents, not businesses.

        Volunteers are needed to direct traffic and perform other tasks, but will not be handling waste or unloading vehicles.

        Materials to be accepted (in containers no larger than 5 gallons) include: paint and paint thinner, pesticides and herbicides, fertilizers, household and auto mobile batteries, automotive fluids and used oil filters, mercury and mercury thermometers, wood varnish, stain, lacquer, solvents, acids, pool chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, and other corrosive, toxic, reactive and flammable materials.

        • Culminating spring cleanup and waste collection efforts on May 18 will be the Solid Waste District's annual appliance recycling drop-off day. This event, also for Butler County residents only, will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Garfield Junior High School, 250 N. Fair Ave., Hamilton. Each household is limited to five appliances.

        Appliances to be accepted include: refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, washing machines, dryers, stoves, dishwashers, microwave ovens, televisions, computers, water heaters and push lawn mowers.

        Staff will be on hand to unload vehicles.

        For more information about any of these events, call 887-3972 or 887-3521.

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