Hazardous Waste Collection Day Set For Sept 27

DANBURY — Residents of Newtown and other area towns will be able to get rid of household hazardous waste materials on Saturday, September 27. The annual collection event will be held from 9 am to 2 pm at the public works facility on Newtown Road in Danbury.

For the second consecutive year, participants will be able to exchange mercury-containing thermometers for a new, safer digital fever thermometer.

The collection day is sponsored by the city and by the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA). It is open to residents of Danbury, Bethel, New Fairfield, Newtown, Ridgefield, and Redding. Proof of residency (such as driver’s license, tax bill) will be required.

All materials should be transported to the collection site by placing them upright in a cardboard box  (lined with plastic if the containers are leaking). Do not bring substances mixed in a large bag.

Hazardous waste that will be collected includes oil-based paints, stains, and varnishes; paint thinners and strippers; wood preservatives; resins, rosins, adhesives; waste kerosene and gasoline; carburetor cleaners, brake fluids; engine degreasers, transmission fluids, car waxes; pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides including lawn care products; rechargeable (Ni-Cd) batteries from camcorders, power tools, cameras, and other equipment; rubber cement, airplane glue, photo chemicals, chemistry sets, hobby supplies; furniture, floor, and metal polishes; oven, toilet bowl, and drain cleaners; rug and upholstery cleaners; full or partially full aerosol cans; dry cleaning solvents; flea powder; moth balls; lighter fluids; septic tank degreasers; swimming pool chemicals; spot removers; mercury-containing items such as fluorescent bulbs, mercury thermostats, elemental mercury, and mercury vapor bulbs. Bring your mercury fever thermometer and exchange it for a new digital thermometer.

Do not bring latex paints (allow these to dry and put in garbage); waste oil and antifreeze (bring these to Newtown’s recycling center at the former landfill); pharmaceutical or medical wastes; household batteries (put these in garbage); tires, pathological materials; empty aerosol cans; asbestos; tires (bring to recycling center); ammunition, fireworks, or explosives (call police department); smoke detectors, radioactive materials; controlled substances; freon or unknown gases; PCB capacitors.

On Saturday, October 20, the HRRA will sponsor the fifth annual American Recycles Day to collect used, broken, and obsolete electronics such as televisions, VCR’s, personal computers and stereo equipment from residents in order to recycle them. Last year, residents dropped off 46,360 pounds of electronics; diverting the materials from incineration prevents the uncontrolled introduction of hazardous components into the environment.

For more information, call the public works department in Newtown at 270-4307 or the HRRA at 775-6256.