Alachua County has temporarily closed the Leveda Brown Environmental Park and Transfer Station following an overnight fire at the Gainesville facility.
The closure also includes the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center located at the site. The transfer station is located at 5115 NE 63rd Ave.
County crews are working to safely reopen the facility to the public as quickly as possible. During the closure, residents are encouraged to use any of the county’s five rural collection centers when they reopen on Friday, May 22.
County officials said the cause of the fire remains under investigation. However, the incident serves as a reminder that lithium batteries should be disposed of as hazardous waste and should never be placed in standard garbage containers because of their potential fire risk.
Residents are encouraged to monitor Alachua County social media channels and future press releases for updates regarding the fire investigation and the anticipated reopening timeline for the facility.
For more information, contact Patrick Irby, Waste Collection and Alternatives manager, at 352-548-1285 or pirby@alachuacounty.us.