Community Corner
Essex County: Dispose of Your Household Hazardous Waste for Free on Saturday
Residents can dispose of pesticides, paint solvents, propane tanks, pool chemicals, automotive fluids and more at annual event.
If you’ve got a pile of “hazardous waste” sitting around at home, Saturday is your day to get rid of it safely and responsibly.
Essex County – in partnership with the Essex County Utilities Authority – will sponsor their annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Saturday, May 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Old Essex County Hospital Center, 125 Fairview Ave., in Cedar Grove.
The program is free, but only open to Essex County residents. Materials for disposal should be placed in containers that are smaller than five gallons or 10 pounds. Residents are not charged when they bring materials, but they must provide proof of residency at the site. Commercial businesses may not drop off materials.
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County workers will be accepting several types of “hazardous waste” at the event, including:
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Paint thinners and solvents
- Barbecue propane tanks
- Automotive fluids such as antifreeze, motor oil and steering fluid
- Pool chemicals
- Florescent light bulbs
- Lithium and NiCad batteries
- Products containing mercury
- Gasoline and kerosene
- Household cleaning products
Hazardous materials not being accepted include: latex paint (which can be dried and disposed of with regular waste), unlabeled or unidentifiable materials, asbestos, regulated medical or infectious waste, commercial or industrial waste, empty containers, explosives, munitions, ordnance or highly reactive materials, household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V), smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms.
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“There are some materials that should be removed from our regular waste stream because of their hazardous nature,” stated Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. “This collection day provides our residents a place to properly and safely dispose of contaminants, protecting our precious environment for future generations.”
For more information, call the Essex County Utilities Authority at 973-792-9060, or visit www.ecuanj.com
File photo courtesy of Keith Williamson
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