SENNETT - There is an ever-increasing concern and awareness of what is happening to the environment and the part that everyone plays in protecting the planet from hazardous wastes.

In Cayuga County, some people have been working for almost a decade to help make the public aware of the problem and what they can do to help.

Renee Jensen, community educator for environmental issues at Cornell Cooperative Extension, has been working closely with Bruce Natalie, an environmental engineer with Cayuga County, to increase this awareness and give Cayuga County residents the opportunity to dispose of potentially hazardous materials in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.

Saturday morning, cars and trucks were lined up to get into the Cayuga County Natural Resource Center for the seventh annual home electronics and propane tank collection day.

The initiative, sponsored by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District and NUCOR, has helped dispose of more than 134,000 pounds of hazardous wastes since it began.

And Cornell Cooperative Extension has been doing all it can to help.

“This is my third year,” Jensen said. “We do a lot of PR and press releases and just try to help make people more aware through information and our Web site that these kinds of services are available to dispose of these kinds of materials.”

Three times a year these collections are set up, with a tire collection in June, a household hazardous waste collection in October and the electronics and propane tank collection in May.

By 10 a.m., Jensen said that more than 180 people had already stopped and that the event was on par to beat last year's attendance of 214 cars stopping to drop of waste items.

Jensen believes that this has been a matter of the idea of environmental conservation taking root in people's minds.

“I think through education people are becoming more aware,” Jensen said. “And people do want to do their part and they want to dispose of these things properly instead of just throwing them out. I think people have learned a lot since these were first held and word of mouth has really helped it grow.”

Saturday's collection focused on items like propane tanks and televisions and computer monitors.

Through the sponsorship on both the state and local level, Jensen said that it has been possible to get waste collection companies like Finger Lakes Recycling of Weedsport to come back year after year to dispose of these materials in the proper manner.

Jensen also said that the numerous volunteers that direct the cars and help with the collection have proven to be very valuable.

People like Stacie Treat, of Auburn, who is a part of AmeriCorps, were more than happy to help.

“I helped out last year,” Treat said. “And I was happy when they called me back again this year. I'm really glad I got to participate in this. You get a real sense of accomplishment and that you did something to help.”

A feeling that those that took the time to drop of items also shared.

“We all have to do our part,” said Todd Kilburn, of Auburn. “If we all just stop and take a few minutes to do things like this, it can really make a big difference.”