The Union County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to announce the continuation of its 2025 recycling events this May. Residents are encouraged to participate by securely disposing of personal documents, scrap metals, and household hazardous items during the scheduled monthly events. This countywide initiative promotes eco-friendly practices by collaborating with residents to keep Union County clean, safe, and sustainable.
“Union County’s recycling programs provide an easy and convenient way to prevent identity theft, conserve valuable resources, and protect the environment,” said Union County Commissioner Chairwoman Lourdes M. Leon. “I urge residents to inspect their homes and vehicles for unwanted or potentially hazardous items and to utilize these free recycling services.”
Union County offers free mobile paper shredding events from March to October, allowing residents to securely dispose of personal documents onsite. The events are held from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or until trucks reach capacity. Residents are invited to the following shredding events in May:
- Friday, May 16th: Hillside Pool Parking Lot, 1209 Central Avenue, Hillside
- Sunday, May 18th: New Providence Community Pool Parking Lot, 1378 Springfield Avenue, New Providence
The shredding events are intended for personal and sensitive documents only. Residents can recycle magazines, junk mail, and other papers through their municipal recycling program. Please remove all bindings, large plastic or metal clips, and other paraphernalia prior to the event (staples are allowed). Pre-shredded, damp, or wet paper will not be accepted.
Union County’s Scrap Metal Recycling Program also continues in May, providing residents the opportunity to responsibly recycle various metal items, including refrigerators (with doors removed), metal cabinets, appliances, bicycles, aluminum scrap, and even air conditioners. The next scrap metal event of the season will take place on Saturday, May 17th, from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at two convenient locations:
- Cranford: Emergency Services Building, 151 Kenilworth Boulevard, Kenilworth
- Rahway: Rahway River Park (follow Park Drive, Rahway off St. George’s Avenue to service yard across from swimming pool)
Union County’s next Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) event will take place on Sunday, June 1st, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will be held at Union County VoTech, located at 1776 Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. At these events, residents can properly dispose of a variety of household chemicals for proper recycling. These items include, but are not limited to, oil-based finishes, motor oil, gasoline, propane tanks, pool chemicals, pesticides, fluorescent lightbulbs, asbestos, and more. Latex (water-based) paint (wall paint) will not be accepted. Residents are advised to dry latex paint out at home using commercial paint hardener, sand, kitty litter, or sawdust. Once hardened, it can be thrown in your household trash. All Union County recycling events are contact-free and drive-up only. Residents must remain in their cars while staff unloads materials from their trunks.
For a complete schedule and more information on all recycling programs hosted by Union County, please visit ucnj.org/recycle/ or call the Union County Recycling Hotline at 908-654-9889. Residents may also contact their municipal recycling coordinator for more details about recycling in their community. The free Recycle Coach mobile app provides a handy way to find out what items are included in curbside recycling programs and drop-off sites in Union County. The app provides up-to-date information on both countywide and local recycling programs. Quick links to all environmental programs and activities hosted by Union County are available at The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.