The Franklin County Solid Waste Management District will hold its household hazardous waste collection on Saturday, Sept. 19, at Greenfield Community College and the Orange Transfer Station.
Residents and businesses must register by Sept. 9. Online registrations may be submitted at franklincountywastedistrict.org. Mail-in registration forms are available at participating town transfer stations and town halls (as supplies last) and in ads in the Greenfield Recorder and Athol Daily News. Participants will be assigned an appointment time to bring waste to the collection and instructions will be provided after registration is processed.
The participating towns are Athol, Barre, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Deerfield, Erving, Gill, Hawley, Heath, Leverett, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, Petersham, Phillipston, Rowe, Royalston, Shelburne, Sunderland, Warwick, Wendell and Whately. The collection event is free for residents of most participating towns, though Barre and Sunderland residents must pay to participate.
Greenfield and Leyden residents are not eligible; the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District advises to call 413-772-1528 for disposal information. Businesses may participate but they must pay for disposal costs. For business registration information, call 413-772-2438.
The event provides an opportunity to dispose of hazardous items that should not be put in the trash, such as leftover oil-based paints, stains, thinners, pesticides, herbicides, pool chemicals, motor oil, antifreeze, household cleaners and other household chemicals. A more complete list of acceptable items is available at franklincountywastedistrict.org.
Batteries and mercury-containing items such as fluorescent light bulbs, thermometers and thermostats are not accepted at this collection, the waste management district advises. However, these items, which may contain mercury or heavy metals, should not be put in the trash or recycling. Residents are advised to handle them carefully, bring them to a municipal transfer station or a regional hazardous waste “super site,” and hand them to an attendant.
In addition, fluorescent light bulbs are accepted for free at Lowe’s stores (all types of fluorescents) and Home Depot stores (CFLs only). Staples stores accept most types of batteries for recycling. Staples now charges $2.99 for battery recycling. The waste management district advises to call the stores for details.