Experts to discuss oak wilt, ash borer

The Allegheny County Parks Department, Citiparks and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy will host informational meetings Tuesday and Wednesday on oak wilt and the emerald ash borer. The meetings are free and open to homeowners, landscape professionals, municipal officials and others dealing with these two major ecological problems. No registration is required.

From 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday at South Park Buffalo Inn, Penn State Cooperative Extension horticulture educator and PG garden columnist Sandy Feather will discuss oak wilt identification and chemical and cultural controls for the spread of the disease, as well as emerald ash borer symptoms and controls.

From 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, at Riverview Park Activities Building, forest health specialist David A. Schmit from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources will discuss oak wilt identification and landscape, chemical and cultural controls.

For information, call South Park greenhouse manager Denise Schreiber at 412-8351201. For driving directions, go to www.pittsburghparks. org/riverview-directions and www.alleghenycounty.us/ parks/spfac.aspx.

Chemical collections

Household cleaners, automotive fluids, paints, pesticides, pool chemicals and other household chemicals will be collected from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. next Saturday at the South Park Wave Pool parking lot.

Another collection is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 13 at Bradys Run Park Recycling Center, Brighton, Beaver County.

A fee of $2 per gallon will be charged. Payment will be cash only (no checks or credit cards accepted).

The following materials will be collected: aerosol cans; automotive fluids (motor oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze, brake fluid); batteries; chemistry sets; gasoline and kerosene; household cleaners (ammonia, drain openers, acid cleaners, oven cleaners); mercury; paint products (latex, oilbased, alkyd-based, arts/crafts chemicals, rust preservatives, creosote, water sealers, paint thinners, furniture strippers); pesticides/herbicides (rodent killers, insecticides, weed killers, mothballs, fertilizer); photo chemicals; and pool chemicals.

Both events are sponsored by the Pennsylvania Resources Council in partnership with UPMC, Colcom Foundation, Constellation Energy, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, The Heinz Endowments, Nova Chemicals, LANXESS and NewsRadio 1020 KDKA. Information: www.zerowastepgh. org or 412-488-7452.