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County Household Hazardous Waste Program
Starts Up Again April 20th
Schenectady County will be holding its first monthly household chemical collection day of 2007 on Friday, April 20th. The program allows County residents to bring unwanted hazardous materials from around their homes to the County Farm on Hetcheltown Road, for safe and environmentally sound disposal. To participate in the program Schenectady County residents need to pre-register and purchase a permit for use of the Schenectady County Farm Composting and Solid Waste Program.
In addition to the collection on April 20th, collections will take place in 2007 on May, 18th, June 8th, July 6th, August 4th, September 7, October, 12th, November 2nd and November 30th.
"The purpose of the program is to provide a safe and environmentally friendly way for Schenectady County residents to get rid of hazardous materials. These materials could harm people or the environment if stored or disposed of incorrectly. Some items that people may not be aware may need to be disposed of as hazardous materials are florescent lighting, mercury containing material include some old thermometers with silver monitoring columns. Computers and computer equipment (especially monitors), TVs and air conditioners, mercury containing thermometers and rechargeable batteries all should not be thrown in the trash. The County Farm program accepts florescent light bulbs and ballasts, as well as thermometers, both of which contain mercury. The program does not accept computer equipment, TVs, air conditioners or rechargeable batteries. See the other article in this newsletter about the Regional Earth Day Electronics Collection on WNYT TV and visit their website www.wnyt.com for
information on how to get rid of electronics and air conditioners. Rechargeable batteries can be returned to Radio Shack stores and Staples.
Last year’s tremendously successful household hazardous waste program serviced seven hundred and ninety five cars, 53 more cars than in 2005. The most common material delivered was paint. Over Fifty four hundred gallons of paint was delivered for recycling and creating fuel in 2006. Other types of material accepted included solvents, anti-freeze, pesticides, mercury containing items, and household cleaners. In the nine collection events in 2006 three hundred and twenty-seven total drums of material were collected nearly a ten percent increase over 2005.
This program is offered by pre-registration only. Pre-registration is required in order to participate. To pre-register, call CARE Environmental, the contractor for the program at 1-800-494-2273 between two weeks and one month before the collection.
To participate in the program, you must have a permit to use the Schenectady County Farm Solid Waste Program. This annual permit costs $15. It must be purchased with cash. You need to have your vehicle registration with you to purchase the permit. The permit allows you to utilize the Yard Waste Collection Program up to 12 times during the course of the calendar year. Unlimited use is allowed of any other aspect of the County Farm waste collection program, including the Household Hazardous Waste Program. The permit can be purchased at the time of your visit; however, to save time on the days of the busy collection events, you are encouraged to purchase the permit prior to your visit. You do not need the permit in order to pre-register
but even people with a permit do need to pre-register.
Collections take place at the Schenectady County Farm between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM on the monthly collection day. The Farm is located at 24 Hetcheltown Road in Glenville at the Composting Facility and the offices of the Soil and Water Conservation District.
Acceptable items include used or unwanted paints (If you plan to bring more than 20 cans please call 386-2225 and ask to speak with the Household Hazardous Waste Program Coordinator), solvents, florescent lights household cleaners, drain decloggers, lawn and garden chemicals, automobile fluids (except motor oil), pool chemicals, photo chemicals and a variety of other hazardous chemicals that may be lying around the house.
The program does not accept used motor oil, computers or other electronic components, medical waste, smoke detectors, grill sized propane cylinders, firearms, explosives, ammunition, asbestos or any empty cans or containers. To find out how to handle these items, visit the Schenectady County website (www.schenectadycounty.com) and search on recycling in the search box at the top right hand corner of the page. Click on the top listing to get to the recycling page and scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Household Hazardous Waste Program Brochure.
The program does not accept any waste from outside the County or from businesses, not-for-profits, governments or other institutions. It is for hazardous waste generated by households only.
It is important to treat hazardous chemicals with respect. Directions for use and all cautions on product labels should be noted and followed at all times. Use the hazardous products only in well ventilated areas. Remember to keep all hazardous products safely away from children and pets. Many hazardous chemicals can cause health damage if swallowed, touched, or inhaled. Some hazardous materials can be a dangerous due to their highly flammable nature. All hazardous materials should be stored away from electrical wiring and heating sources like furnaces and space heaters. Additionally, the Katrina disaster and the talk of a possible Gilboa Dam failure have sparked the realization that people who live in flood prone areas should store these chemicals above the
level where flood waters might reach, or at least be prepared to move them to such a location when floods threaten. Use hazardous chemicals only when necessary and when alternatives do not exist. If you are not sure if or how a product may be harmful, please read the label. Use and store chemicals safely and properly for your own safety, the safety of your family and of the environment.
The Schenectady County Household Hazardous Waste Program is funded by the Schenectady County Legislature, Chair, Susan E. Savage, with a matching grant from the Environmental Protection Fund administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
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