Vernon Public Works Shares Hazardous Waste Collection Schedule

Press release from the Town of Vernon Department of Public Works:

Feb. 24, 2021

Vernon residents may dispose of hazardous waste on the following dates: April 3, May 1, June 5, August 28, September 25 and October 30, 2021. All collection dates are Saturdays from 8 AM to 1 PM at the Capitol Region East Hazardous Waste facility, which is adjacent to the Manchester Landfill located at 321 Olcott Street. In addition, there will be a collection on Saturday, October 16 from 8 AM to 1 PM held in Somers at 5 Vision Boulevard (the parking lot next to Somers High School). For full listings of what materials are and are not acceptable at the CREOC Household Hazardous Waste collection events, visit the Town of Vernon's website at www.vernon-ct.gov.

In an effort to allow for the collection of household hazardous waste (HHW) during the ongoing pandemic and insure the safety of our customers and staff members, the following modified guidelines will be strictly enforced. Staff reserves the right to deny access to those not complying with these guidelines. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME

1. Don't forget your face mask.

2. Load all HHW in trunk or rear of vehicle as staff will NOT be accessing front or rear seats of vehicles.

3. Do not bring passengers or pets.

4. Have valid driver's license or vehicle registration with you.

5. Used oil and antifreeze are NOT accepted, contact Vernon Public Works directly for disposal instructions.

6. All paint shall be separated from other HHW. This will allow staff to process vehicles more efficiently.

7. DRIED OUT LATEX PAINT OR EMPTY PAINT CANS will not be accepted since these can be disposed in your regular trash.

8. Paints can be disposed of conveniently anytime through statewide recycling program. Locations and details at paintcare.org.

AT THE COLLECTION SITE

1. Only one person per vehicle.

2. Remain in vehicle at all times with windows closed and wear a face mask.

3. Vehicles will be approached from the passenger's side.

4. Must show driver's license through the window for Town verification.

5. HHW shall be in rear of vehicle. Vehicles shall have remote trunk/gate mechanism or have compartment open prior to vehicle inspection.

6. No trailers or work vans will be allowed.

7. All paperwork will be done by on-site staff from the outside of the vehicle the day of collection. Pre-printed online forms will not be used.

8. NO CONTAINERS WILL BE RETURNED. For example, old gas must be in a disposal container.

REMINDERS: The drop-off is free to Vernon residents but the Town is billed approximately $45 per participating vehicle, therefore, it is requested that residents bring as many hazardous materials as possible to the collection site, possibly carpooling with neighbors. The following items will not be accepted: alkaline batteries, ammunition, fireworks and explosives. Motor oil and antifreeze are not accepted at HHW collection events, but they can be disposed of at the Vernon Transfer Station at no charge to residents. For residents that have only paint to dispose of, latex or oil-based paints may be brought to a designated PaintCare drop-off location. They will accept up to 5 gallons per day free of charge providing cans are labelled, sealed, non-leaking and covered by the PaintCare program. There are certain specialty paints and stains not covered by PaintCare; these coatings ARE acceptable at the HHW collection events. To learn more about PaintCare, go to paintcare.org.

This press release was produced by the Town of Vernon Department of Public Works. The views expressed here are the author's own.