Household Hazardous Waste Collection Date Set

A household hazardous waste collection will be held Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015 at the Simsbury Public Works Facility at 66 Town Forest Road (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.

Below are some frequently asked questions related to household hazardous waste disposal.

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 Department.
• 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% (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”.

How do I dispose of old electronics?

Avon’s Landfill facility, located at 281 Huckleberry Hill Road will accept old electronics (televisions, computers, monitors, etc.) during their normal operating hours (Tuesdays and Fridays, 7:30am-2:30pm and Saturdays, 7:30am – 1:00pm) 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….

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.