Boston to Hold Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Saturday

Residents across Boston who have excess hazardous chemicals lying around can dispose of them properly at a drop-off event this weekend, The Boston Public Works Department announced Thursday.

At the event, the PWD will recycle and safely dispose of hazardous chemicals, electronics, propane tanks and tires, while the Boston Credit Union will shred confidential documents at parking lots at UMass and the Bayside Expo Center.

Hazardous Materials & Waste

The Hazardous Waste Drop-Off event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the University of Massachusetts, Boston Harbor Campus in Parking Lot D at the end of Mt. Vernon Street in Dorchester.

Those who attend will need to show proof of Boston residency; the city reserves the right to reject inappropriate materials.

Residents are allowed to bring up to 50 pounds of products labeled “toxic,” “flammable,” “reactive,” “corrosive,” or “poisonous,” officials said. Such products may include oil-based paints, motor oil, pesticides, solvents, glues, bleach or ammonia-based cleaners, as well as weed killers, photo chemicals, pool chemicals, tires, car batteries, and propane tanks.

Hazardous waste from commercial businesses will not be accepted at the event, nor will latex or acrylic paint, as they are not considered to be hazardous products. Dried latex and acrylic paint can be placed in the trash, and the following steps can be taken to dispose of latex or acrylic paint:

• Remove paint can lid, let paint air dry, or mix paint with kitty litter, sawdust or purchase a paint hardener kit at a hardware store.
• When the paint is completely dried, place the paint can in a trash bag. Place no more than two cans of paint in each trash bag.

Electronic Waste and Paper Shredding

The electronics waste drop-off and paper shredding will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the former Bay Side Expo parking lot, 200 Mount Vernon St. in Dorchester. The drop-off is free and open to the public, including non-residents.

The following are among the items that will be accepted at the electronics drop-off:

• Computers
• Monitors
• TVs
• LCD panels
• Printers
• Fax machines
• Copiers
• Stereos
• Cell and telephones
• Microwaves
• Electronic Games
• VCRs
• Circuit boards

Unaccepted items include big appliances, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and UPS power supplies.

Attendees can bring up to 10 copy-sized paper boxes for safe shredding. The service is meant for individuals’ personal documents only, and not for businesses.

For more information call the Mayor’s 24-hour Hotline at 617-635-4500, or visit online at www.cityofboston.gov/recycle.