2013 Household Hazardous Materials Disposal and Electronics Recycling Events Begin this Saturday
Residents can also safely dispose of unused and expired medications

Poughkeepsie… Spring is finally here and residents are cleaning out of the garage and basement of old cans of varnish, unused chemical fertilizers, pool chemicals and other hazardous materials.   It is also a good time to responsibly recycle old computer monitors, printers, mercury-containing thermometers, expired or unwanted medications and other potentially harmful materials.  The Dutchess County Resource Recovery Agency (DCRRA) will kick off the 2013 schedule of Household Hazardous Materials Disposal and Electronics Recycling Days this Saturday, April 6th at the Sand Dock Road location in the Town of Poughkeepsie 7:30am to 9:30am.  Pre-registration is required and there is a $5 fee.  Call the DCRRA at (845) 463-6020 or visit http://www.dcrra.org/ to pre-register and schedule an appointment.

This Saturday’s event includes an opportunity to drop-off expired and unwanted medications.

Dutchess County Director of Solid Waste Management Lindsay Carille said, “These events are a great way to get rid of all the materials you have been holding on to because you know they should not be thrown into your garbage bin. Now is the time to take an hour and safely dispose or recycle our unwanted hazardous and harmful materials while doing our spring cleaning.”

Some of the most popular items for disposal and recycling at these events are small electronics and compact fluorescent light bulbs and fluorescent tubes.   Fluorescent lighting contains small amounts of mercury and other potentially toxic heavy metals, and should never be thrown in the garbage.   The HHW events offer residents a safe and easy way to dispose of these bulbs.

There will be eight collection events in 2013 at a variety of locations throughout the county. The collection partially funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Saturday, April 6th  Dutchess County Resource Recovery Agency*
Saturday, May 4th  Pawling Fire Department
Saturday, June 1st  Town of Rhinebeck Highway Department
Saturday, July 13nd  Dutchess Stadium (Fishkill)
Saturday, August 3rd   Dutchess County Resource Recovery Agency*
Saturday, September 7th Cornell Cooperative Extension (Millbrook)
Saturday, October 5th  Town of Rhinebeck Highway Department
Saturday, November 2nd Dutchess County Resource Recovery Agency*

*Event will also feature safe medication disposal from 8am to 10am.

The events held at DCRRA’s Poughkeepsie location include a no-fee medications disposal opportunity. Last year over 3,800 pounds of medications were disposed of safely at the DCRRA. “Our Safe Medication Disposal help ensure unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications are properly disposed of and do not end up in the hands of children or leaching into groundwater drinking sources if discarded improperly,” said DCRRA Executive Director William Calogero.

*Residents have the opportunity to safely dispose of unused or expired medications at the HHWDD events hosted at the DCRRA location from 8am to 10am.  Any prescription or over-the-counter pills, ointments, lotions and liquids can be brought for safe disposal. Liquid medications should be in its original packaging and inside sealable plastic bags. Pet medications are welcome as well. Special staffing will be present to mark out any personal identification from all medicine containers.  The entire container along with its medication will be placed into a sealed waste receptacle. There is no fee for medication disposal, but pre-registration is required.

See below for a complete list of accepted HHW materials.

Dutchess County Resource Recovery Agency’s
2013 Household Waste Disposal Days

Materials that WILL be accepted:

Product containers marked with words: "Warning”, “Hazardous", "Flammable", "Poisonous", or "Corrosive"

Photo chemicals, non latex driveway sealer, pool chemicals, creosote, kerosene, flammable liquids, metal polish, turpentine, stains, varnishes, strippers, thinners, gasoline/oil mixture, brake fluid, auto fluids, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, adhesives, resins, solvents, oil & lead based paints (no latex!), mercury containing devices, button cell batteries for watches & hearing aids, lithium & sealed lead acid batteries, compact fluorescent lights and fluorescent tubes, and small non-Freon appliances (such as humidifiers, toasters, irons, and electric heaters.)

Electronic Equipment Collection

Computer Monitors, Central Processing Units (CPU's), Modems, CRT's, Terminals, Laptops, Keyboards, Mouses, Fax Machines, Printers, Scanners, Copiers, Typewriters, TV's, VCR's, DVD Players, CD Players, Tape Players, Radios, Stereo Equipment, Cables, Answering Machines, Telephones & Video Game Systems.

Bins will also be available at the DCRRA location only to dispose of junk mail, white paper, magazines, newspaper and commingled bottles & cans.  There is no fee charged and no registration needed for these bins.

Materials that will NOT be accepted:

Ammunition or explosives, asbestos products, latex driveway sealer & latex paint, motor oil, car batteries, antifreeze, broken glass, building or construction debris, tires, furniture, medical waste/medicines, propane or other flammable gas cylinders, radioactive materials, scrap metal, metal drums or empty containers, dehumidifiers, and air conditioners.