Sarasota County Hazardous Household Waste Facility
When Hurricane Ian severely damaged Sarasota County’s Hazardous Household Waste (HHW) facility in 2022, it disrupted a critical public service that helps protect residents, businesses, and the environment. To restore and enhance that service, Sarasota County developed a new 12,000-square-foot replacement facility in Venice, Florida, as part of a $7.5-million investment in its hazardous waste management program.
The facility supports the collection, sorting, storage, and disposal of household hazardous waste while also serving commercial participants through the County’s Project Green Sweep program. Prior to Hurricane Ian, the program handled nearly 1 million pounds of hazardous waste and served approximately 16,000 residents and businesses each year. Collections dropped following the storm, underscoring the importance of restoring the Venice location. Reopened in March 2026, the new facility provides expanded capacity, improved operations, and enhanced safety features.
Designed as a pre-engineered metal building with associated site improvements, the facility includes a drive-through drop-off process that allows residents to remain in their vehicles during unloading. The upgraded design improves traffic flow, supports safer handling of hazardous materials, and helps reduce fire risks while protecting valuable landfill capacity and environmental resources.
MSA team members from the former ME3 Consulting Engineers served as a subconsultant to Seibert Architects, P.A., providing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) design services for the facility’s office space, break rooms, restrooms, and hazardous waste processing areas. The scope included general lighting design, ventilation fans beneath the building structure, safety showers, eyewash stations, sinks, hose bibbs, and power design for a lift station and grinder pump system. The team also designed water, electrical, and fire alarm connections for the hazardous waste vault, along with a lightning protection and grounding system engineered to protect the facility and its equipment in Florida’s challenging climate.
The result is a modern, resilient facility that restores a vital community service while strengthening Sarasota County’s ability to safely manage hazardous waste for years to come.
This project was selected to receive a 2026 Metal Architecture Design Award, winning the Metal Building Systems/Pre-Engineered Metal Building Systems category. It was one of just 12 projects from across the nation to receive this year’s honors.
Contact Project Lead
Bryan Zapf, PE
Principal Project Manager
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