Though pesticides and paint regularly flow through Chicago's sewer system and into the watershed, harming aquatic life, officials yesterday nixed a plan to create a permanent collection facility for hazardous household waste.

By a 5-4 vote, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board declined General Superintendent Richard Lanyon's request to begin planning a facility at either the district's Egan water treatment plant in Schaumburg or its Kirie plant in Des Plaines.

Instead, commissioners unanimously endorsed a proposal to continue sponsoring the mobile collection points twice a year, with an option to expand to three or four days if the need arises.

Since 1993 the MWRD has partnered with the Illinois EPA to hold collection events at a rate of at least two per year in various locations throughout Chicago and Cook County. The district spends $135,000 on these events and provides staffing.

MWRD Board President Terry O' Brien said that one or two of the one-day collections exceeded what the city took in all year at its hazardous waste collection facility at Goose Island.

But according to Lanyon, as successful as they are, the district's biennial recycling days are serving less than 5 percent of households in the areas where the events are advertised.

"It's obvious that there's a need to provide more collection capability for our residents," he said.

Commissioner Debra Shore spoke in favor of a permanent collection center.

"I certainly see this as fully within the mission of the district," she said. 

Locating a permanent facility at one of the district's water treatment plants would encourage systematic drop-offs by residents and increase public awareness, said Lanyon. He also estimated that over the long-run a permanent facility would save on per-unit collection costs.

The idea of building a facility at one of the district's plants doesn't sit well with O'Brien, though.

"I have some real reservations from a security standpoint," said O' Brien. "I don't think it's safe to have people bringing things into our facility when we don't know what's coming in."

He added that such a facility would require round-the-clock security, which could be costly.

Commissioner Cynthia Santos also said cost was a major concern.

"I don't see the need to expand the program to a permanent-type program. I just don't know where all the operating expenses would come from."

Other on the board objected to the proposed northerly locations.

"How do we know that the greatest demand is on the North Side?" said Commissioner Barbara McGowan. "Maybe the demand is on the South Side."

Shore suggested that the next step for the district is to conduct a needs assessment study.

"We know there's pent-up demand," said Shore. "We just don't know how much or where it's located."

According to district officials, 2,661 households participated in the district's most recent hazardous household waste recycling event, held in Palatine in June, where over 2,295 items were collected. The IEPA contracted with Veolia Environmental Services to dispose of more than 403 fifty-five gallon drums of hazardous waste products through recycling, fuel blending, incineration and landfilling.