A worker sorts through some of the hazardous waste dropped off at a recent collection drive. (Bucks County Government)
BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Bucks County's Household Hazardous Waste Program will hold its second collection of the year on Saturday, May 30, the county has announced.
This is the time for residents to get rid of items they can't throw away in the regular trash stream, including cleaning chemicals, vehicle batteries, pesticides, and flammable items.
Bring up to 25 gallons or 220 pounds of hazardous waste to the Upper Bucks County Vocational/Technical School, 3115 Ridge Road, Perkasie, on Saturday, May 30. The event takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Three more events will follow in other locations in the county:
July 11: Bucks County Community College, 275 Swamp Road, Newtown.
Aug. 8: Bensalem High School, 4319 Hulmeville Road, Bensalem.
Oct. 24: Strayer Middle School, 1200 Ronald Reagan Drive, Richland Township.
Events are open to residents of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties, and Philadelphia, regardless of the host county.
Here's what is acceptable and what's not acceptable, according to the county:
Acceptable items include: pesticides; oil-based paint and paint products; automotive products (gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze); pool chemicals; degreasers and cleaners; mercury thermostats; fluorescent tubes; fire extinguishers; mini-propane tanks of two pounds or less; lead-acid batteries (car, marine, motorcycle and truck); and rechargeable, lithium or button-type household batteries. There is a limit of 25 gallons or 220 pounds of acceptable materials per household.
Unacceptable items include, but are not limited to: TVs and other electronics, appliances, asbestos, medical waste, explosives/ammunition, radioactive and unidentified waste, large gas cylinders, tires and smoke detectors. Please note that if you have water-based latex paint or alkaline batteries, these can be safely put in your regular trash collection and therefore will not be accepted at the collection.
Guidelines for safely transporting household hazardous waste to the collection sites include:
Keep all products in their original containers with labels intact and lids on tight
Place materials securely in a box to prevent spilling
Wrap leaking containers in newspaper and place in a plastic container for transport
Do not mix materials
Do not leave hazardous materials loaded in a vehicle or other hot, unventilated areas for prolonged periods
Do not smoke near any chemicals
Take cardboard boxes home to recycle
Why bring your hazardous waste?
Household products containing toxic chemicals, like pesticides, oil-based paints, solvents, cleaning products, weed killers and automotive batteries can be a threat to people and the environment if improperly discarded. Never throw these materials into the trash, as the toxic chemicals may harm sanitation workers, or result in fires in collection vehicles. It is also not safe to pour them into a sink or storm drain as they can end up in the environment polluting the air, water, or soil.
The collections are sponsored by the Bucks County Commissioners and the Bucks County Planning Commission. Registration is not required. The events are for the collection of residential household hazardous waste only. No items will be accepted from businesses, industries or institutions.
For additional information, visit buckscounty.org/recycling.
If you can't make Saturday's event, here's a list of collection events taking place throughout southeastern Pennsylvania between now and November. Some may require registration.