UNION COUNTY, NJ — Union County has announced the continuation of its 2026 seasonal recycling programs in September, with two mobile paper shredding events and two scrap metal recycling dates for residents.
The county's final Household Hazardous Waste event of the season is scheduled for Oct. 25 in Scotch Plains.
"These free programs make it easier for residents to securely dispose of personal documents and responsibly recycle items that should not enter the regular waste stream," said Union County Commissioner Chairman Joseph C. Bodek. "We encourage residents to take advantage of the upcoming events and join us in keeping reusable materials out of landfills while protecting our communities and environment."
The county will hold free mobile paper shredding events on Friday, Sept. 18, at the Westfield Pool Parking Lot, 713 Cumberland Street, Westfield, and on Saturday, Sept. 26, at UCNJ Parking Lots 5A/5B, 1033 Springfield Avenue, Cranford. Both events are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine, or until the shredding trucks reach capacity.
According to the county, the shredding program is open only to Union County residents and not to businesses.
Residents may bring up to four bags or boxes per vehicle, and each bag or box may weigh no more than 10 pounds.
Only confidential and sensitive personal documents will be accepted. Magazines, junk mail and other non-sensitive papers should go through municipal recycling programs.
Residents should remove bindings, large plastic or metal clips and other non-paper materials before arriving. Staples are permitted, but pre-shredded, damp or wet paper will not be accepted.
The Scrap Metal Recycling Program will continue on Thursday, Sept. 3, and Saturday, Sept. 19, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Collection sites are the Emergency Services Complex, 151 Kenilworth Boulevard, Cranford, and the Rahway River Park Service Yard, 3 Parkway Drive, Rahway. Residents may use either location on either date.
Accepted scrap metal items include refrigerators and freezers with doors removed, metal cabinets, household appliances, bicycles, aluminum scrap, air conditioners, microwaves, washers, dryers, stoves, metal fencing, tire rims and wire hangers.
The final Household Hazardous Waste event of the 2026 season will be held Sunday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools' West Hall/Police Academy parking lot, 1776 Raritan Road, Scotch Plains.
Accepted materials include oil-based paints and finishes, motor oil and filters, gasoline, propane tanks, pool chemicals, pesticides and fluorescent bulbs.
Latex or water-based paint, medical sharps and pressurized welding gas or oxygen cylinders will not be accepted.
All Union County recycling events are contact-free and drive-up only. Residents must remain in their vehicles while staff removes materials from trunks.
More information is available at www.ucnj.org/recycling or by calling the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.
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