Dumping Household Waste? What You Need To Know

Several area towns are collaborating on a series of household hazardous waste collection events this year, with the first one slated for Saturday, April 26, in Farmington.

These collections are open to all residents from Avon, Canton, Farmington, Granby, Simsbury, and Suffield.

They will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the respective locations in Farmington and Simsbury.

The 2025 Collections will be:

• Saturday, April 26, at Farmington High School, 10 Monteith Drive, Farmington.
• Saturday, June 7, at Simsbury Public Works Facility, 66 Town Forest Road, Simsbury.
• Saturday, Oct. 18, at Simsbury Public Works Facility, 66 Town Forest Road, Simsbury.

These collections will include free collection for the residents of Avon, Canton, Farmington, Granby, Simsbury, and Suffield of electronics for recycling, used motor oil, and personal document shredding.

Hours for those are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until the trucks are full (limit two boxes).

Acceptable items:

• Fluorescent and compact light bulbs
• Batteries – common household batteries, including rechargeable batteries and car batteries
• Lawn care chemicals – fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides
• Switches or items containing Mercury – thermometers, thermostats, motion detectors
• Household cleaners – acids, adhesives, aerosol cans, ammonia, drain cleaners, disinfectants, moth balls, etc.
• Chemicals from the garage or workshop – antifreeze, ant/bug spray or bait, brake fluid, old gasoline, latex and oil-based paints, lighter fluid, polyurethane, pool chemicals, road flares, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, wood stain, etc.

Unacceptable items:

• Ammunition and/or explosives (including gunpowder)
• Asbestos
• Business Waste – collection is for residential waste only
• Cement - not hazardous- check with clean-fill disposal retailers
• Empty Containers – A container is considered empty when no more than one inch or 3 percent (by weight) of material is left in the container; these can be disposed of in the regular trash.
• Fire extinguishers
• Freon
• Marine Flares – Pyrotechnic flares cannot be accepted at the Collection because they are categorized as explosives.
• Ice melt – Ice melt is not hazardous and can be disposed of in the regular trash
• Latex driveway sealer (Genite) – Driveway sealer is not hazardous; solidify, then throw it in the regular trash
• Medicine/Drugs/Needles/Syringes - prescription drop-box located in the lobby at the Farmington Police Department.
• Propane Tanks for gas grills - check with propane retailers
• Appliances - check with the metal recycling areas
• Smoke detectors - check with the manufacturer for their recycling program
• Tires
• Used Oil Filters

Latex and oil-based paint?

People can recycle leftover paint through PaintCare, and it is free.

As of July 1, 2013, a Connecticut Law requires the paint and coating industry to develop a financially and environmentally sustainable solution to manage post-consumer architectural paint.

Under the program, the paint industry will make paint recycling more convenient by setting up drop-off sites throughout the state where consumers can take their paint.

For drop sites and program information, go to: http://www.paintcare.org/connecticut/index.php.