Bartow, Fla. (May 22, 2025) – Polk County Solid Waste Division staff have launched a creative public safety campaign titled “Uninvited Guests” to raise awareness about proper disposal of hazardous household items.
The campaign features a series of short public service announcements (PSAs) highlighting four dangerous materials: lithium-ion batteries, pool chemicals, fireworks, and charcoal briquettes. When improperly disposed of, these items can ignite fires, leak toxic substances, and pose serious risks to public safety personnel, sanitation workers and the environment.
The PSAs portray these potentially hazardous materials as uninvited houseguests—unwanted, unpredictable troublemakers you’d rather not have around. Through humor and storytelling, the campaign drives home an important message: these items require careful handling and proper disposal. The four videos will be posted on social media every Thursday, one per week, starting today…