DeKalb is a safer place since the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency paid a visit last Saturday.

The IEPA collected enough household hazardous waste products from 447 participants to fill 97 drums in a waste project sponsored by the DeKalb County Farm Bureau and League of Women Voters.

“Out of our last 14 collections, DeKalb ranked as the sixth largest,” said Mike Chandler, IEPA project manager, calling the collection program an overall success.

Chandler said the most popular items collected in DeKalb were oil-base paint, used oil and insecticides because those are the most popular hazardous materials used in households today.

Greg Milberg, government affairs director for the DeKalb County Farm Bureau, said he hadn’t expected such a large turnout. He said it is likely that more than 447 residents contributed waste materials.

Milberg said volunteers from the League of Women Voters counted 447 cars, but he knew many people brought in hazardous products for others. “With that in mind, I would estimate almost 600 people,” he said.

Milberg said 75 percent of the participants came from within a one- to eight-mile radius of DeKalb, but some people came from outside DeKalb County.

“One person actually came from Peoria, about 100 miles away,” he said. “Even though it was a county program, we didn’t have the heart to turn him away.”

“I was extremely impressed with the amount of community spirit everyone showed,” Milberg said. “If the opportunity came again to be a sponsor, I would definitely do it all over again.”