Granby Residents Can Trash Household Hazardous Waste on Nov. 1

An announcement on the Simsbury town government Web site:

The Town of Simsbury, in conjunction with Avon, Canton and Granby, will hold a household hazardous waste collection on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014 at the Simsbury Public Works Facility at 66 Town Forest Rd. (Town Forest Road is located off of Stratton Brook Road.) The collection will run from 8 a.m. to noon and will be open to all residents from Simsbury, Avon, Canton and Granby.

As Simsbury is no longer participating with the MDC collection, Simsbury residents can no longer bring their household waste to any of the MDC household hazardous waste collections.

Below are some frequently asked questions related to household hazardous waste disposal. For more specific information, please check the Public Works web site or contact the Simsbury Public Works Department at 860-658-3222 or the Simsbury Landfill at 860-658-9481.

Common Household Hazardous Waste Questions

What items are acceptable to bring to the Household Hazardous Waste Collection? 


• Fluorescent and compact fluorescent light bulbs

• Batteries — common household batteries including rechargeable batteries (excluding 
car batteries)

• Lawn care chemicals — fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides

• Switches or items containing mercury — thermometers, thermostats, motion detectors
• Household cleaners — acids, adhesives, aerosol cans, ammonia, drain cleaner, 
disinfectants, moth balls, etc.

• Chemicals from the garage or workshop — antifreeze, ant/bug spray or bait, brake 
fluid, old gasoline, oil based paint, lighter fluid, polyurethane, pool chemicals, road flares, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, wood stain, etc.

What items are not acceptable? 


• Ammunition and/or explosives (including gunpowder) — call your local police deptartment.
• Asbestos

• Business waste — this collection is only for residential waste

• Car batteries 

• Cement

• Electronics
• Empty containers — a container is considered empty when no more than one inch or 3 percent (by weight) of material is left in the container, these can be disposed of in the regular trash.
• Fire extinguishers

• Freon

• Marine flares — pyrotechnic flares cannot be accepted at the collection because they are categorized as explosives.

• Ice melt — ice melt is not hazardous and can be disposed of in the regular trash.

• Latex driveway sealer (Genite) — driveway sealer is not hazardous; solidify then throw in the regular trash.

• Medicine/Drugs/Needles/Syringes
• Propane tanks for gas grills

• Appliances

• Smoke detectors

• Tires

• Used oil & oil filters

How can I get rid of latex paint? 


You can either bring your paint to the household hazardous waste collection or because latex paint is non-hazardous, you can dry the latex paint and put it in your regular trash. Mixing sand or kitty litter into the paint will accelerate the drying process. Once the paint is dry you can throw the can, with the lid off, into your regular trash. 


*If your paint was made prior to 1992, it may contain mercury or lead and should be brought to a household hazardous waste collection. Please mark the container “Pre 1992 Paint — May contain lead or mercury.” 


All paints may now be brought to the Simsbury Bulky Waste Facility for recycling with the PaintCare program. Quantities are limited to 5 gallons. The Facility is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

How do I dispose of old electronics? 


Simsbury’s Bulky Waste Facility, located at 66 Wolcott Road, will accept old electronics (televisions, computers, monitors, etc.) during their normal operating hours (Wednesdays and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at no cost to the resident.

What can I bring to a collection?


In general, products that are toxic, flammable, corrosive, or reactive, such as: chemicals, cleaners, batteries (not car batteries), CFLs, gasoline, insecticides, oil paint, wood stain, turpentine. Please check our website for a more complete list.

How do I dispose of unwanted medications?

Unwanted medications can be disposed of in the lobby of the Simsbury Police Station at 933 Hopmeadow Street.

How do I dispose of Compact Fluorescent (CFL) Bulbs? 


Many of the larger hardware stores now accept unbroken CFLs at the returns desk. CFLs can also be brought to household hazardous waste collections.

How do I dispose of my air conditioner?


Simsbury’s bulky waste facility, located at 66 Wolcott Road, will accept air conditioners during their normal operating hours (Wednesday and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.) Fees are posted on the town’s web site and a permit is required. 


Picture: Patch file photo