Union County to hold free drop-off event for old or unwanted household chemicals and many other items, Saturday, September 10.
Union County residents can safely dispose their unwanted household chemicals, old fire extinguishers, propane tanks and other potentially hazardous items at Union County’s next free Household Hazardous Waste event on Saturday, September 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Union College (formerly known as Union County College), located at 1033 Springfield Avenue in Cranford.
Any Union County resident may participate, regardless of their home town. Residents participating in the event should go to parking lots 5A and 5B on the campus upon arrival.
“Our Household Hazardous Waste events provide a free, convenient opportunity for residents to remove unwanted chemicals and other potentially hazardous items from their homes and yards, and dispose of them safely,” said Commissioner Board Chair Rebecca Williams. “It’s a great way to make a real difference and help keep harmful substances out of the environment.”
Union County’s Household Hazardous Waste events are drive-up only, and contact-free. Items for disposal should be brought in the vehicle’s trunk or cargo area, where they can be easily unloaded by staff at the site.
Union County’s Household Hazardous Waste events are held rain or shine, for Union County residents only, not for businesses. Proof of Union County residency is required. For more information, please call the Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.
Items accepted for disposal include outdated or unwanted household chemicals, mercury thermostats and thermometers, propane tanks, and automobile tires among many other items such as oil-based paint (no latex paint) and varnish, antifreeze, aerosol cans, pool chemicals, corrosives, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, thinners, fire extinguishers, motor oil and oil filters, gasoline, batteries, fluorescent bulbs (unbroken), mercury switches, and more.
A list of items accepted at Household Hazardous Waste events is available at ucnj.org/recycling/household-special-waste. Residents with questions about items not included on the list should call the Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889.
The next and last Household Hazardous Waste event of 2022 will take place on Saturday, October 22 in Scotch Plains. The recycling program will then go on winter hiatus.
Only materials in original or labeled containers will be accepted. No containers larger than five gallons will be accepted.
Car tires are accepted at these events. There is a limit of eight automobile tires, without rims, per household.
Please note that latex paint (water-based) wall paint is NOT accepted. Leftover latex paint can be used around the house, shared, donated, or allowed to dry in the can. The dried can may be discarded in regular household garbage, with the lid off. To reduce drying time, add kitty litter, newspaper scraps or a commercial paint hardener.
The September 10 event is part of Union County’s annual series of recycling programs for household hazardous waste, scrap metal and personal paper shredding. Visit ucnj.org/recycle for dates, times and locations.
For quick links to all environmental programs and activities in Union County visit The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.
For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free vaccination, free testing, emergency food distribution and other support services, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 is available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
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For all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.
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