Avon Hazardous Waste Collection Coming Up After Split from MDC

Time to gather up all those old paint cans, half-empty chemical bottles and anything else that's lying around in preparation for the hazardous waste collection day. 

Rising fees for MDC collection days prompted town officials to opt out of the MDC collection days and as a result, residents can no longer bring items to MDC hazardous waste days, according to a release on the town's website. Instead, the towns of Avon, Canton, Simsbury and Granby are jointly offering a collection day at the Simsbury Public Works Facility at 66 Town Forest Road, Simsbury on Aug. 17.

Town officials from each of the participating towns agreed the move would save them money. 

“Managing our own collection will result in a significant savings to our residents and allows the Towns to have better control over the collection process,” said Simsbury Director of Public Works, Tom Roy.

The collection will run from 8 a.m. to noon and will be open to all residents from Simsbury, Avon, Canton and Granby.

The town also lists the following frequently asked questions:

What items are acceptable to bring to the Household Hazardous Waste Collection?

• Fluorescent and compact fluorescent light bulbs
• Batteries - common household batteries including rechargeable batteries (excluding 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 cleaner, disinfectants, moth balls, etc.  
• Chemicals from the garage or workshop - antifreeze, ant/bug spray or bait, brake fluid, old gasoline, oil based paint, lighter fluid, polyurethane, pool chemicals, road flares, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, wood stain, etc.

• Ammunition and/or Explosives (including gunpowder) - Call your local Police Department.
• Asbestos
• Business Waste – this collection is only for residential waste
• Car Batteries
• Cement
• Electronics
• Empty Containers  - A container is considered empty when no more than one inch or 3% (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 in the regular trash.
• Medicine/Drugs/Needles/Syringes
• Propane Tanks for Gas Grills
• Appliances
• Smoke Detectors
• Tires
• Used Oil & Oil Filters  

•   You can either bring your paint to the household hazardous waste collection or because latex paint is non-hazardous, you can dry the latex paint and put it in your regular trash. Mixing sand or kitty litter into the paint will accelerate the drying process. Once the paint is dry you can throw the can, with the lid off, into your regular trash.    *If your paint was made prior to 1992, it may contain mercury or lead and should be brought to a household hazardous waste collection. Please mark the container “Pre 1992 Paint – May contain lead or mercury”.    

• In general, products that are toxic, flammable, corrosive, or reactive, such as: chemicals, cleaners, batteries (not car batteries), CFLs, gasoline, insecticides, oil paint, wood stain, turpentine…. Please check our website for a more complete list.  

•   Home Depot and many of the larger hardware stores now accept unbroken CFLs at the returns desk of local stores. CFLs can also be brought to Household Hazardous Waste Collections.