Household Hazardous Waste Collection Saturday at Harwood Union High School

September 30, 2020 | By Lisa Scagliotti

The front driveway at Harwood Union High School provides a convenient setting for vehicles to drive up and unload at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection in May 2019. The Mad River Resource Management Alliance will conduct a collection Saturday, Oct. 3 at Harwood. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti.

Cleaning out cabinets and those garage shelves? Have cans of paint or bottles with chemical cleaners or solvents that you’re not sure how to dispose of? 

Saturday, Oct. 3, is the Mad River Resource Management Alliance Fall Household Hazardous Waste Collection event where you can take all of those unwanted, dangerous items for safe disposal. 

The collection will be set up at Harwood Union High School on Route 100 in Duxbury from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and it’s open to residents and businesses in Waterbury, Fayston, Moretown, Waitsfield and Warren. (Duxbury is not a member of the alliance.)

Anyone with household hazardous wastes such as pool chemicals, mercury products, solvents, degreasers, oven and drain cleaners, paints, adhesives and more can bring up to 10 gallons of these wastes for disposal. You also may drop off pesticides, architectural paints (oil and latex), primary and small rechargeable batteries, compact fluorescent lamps at no charge. 

After the first 10 gallons of liquid or pounds of hazardous waste there is a $5 per unit fee to help cover the disposal cost. 

Unwanted paint can get a new life at the paint drop and swap bin. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti.

During these pandemic times please wear a mask when delivering material to this event and place everything to drop off in the trunk of your car or the bed of your pickup truck. Please stay in your vehicle and staff at the event will collect the material. 

Paint Drop and Swap

The collection will also set up a paint drop and swap where folks can bring good cans of paint that they don’t need. Anyone can pick up the unwanted paint. The rest of the year, you can visit Waterbury True Value Hardware Store, Aubuchon’s Hardware Store and Bisbees in Waitsfield to recycle unwanted paints. There is no charge for this program.

Mercury products 

Mercury thermostats will be collected and those dropping them off may receive a coupon valued at $5 to mail to the Thermostat Recycling Corporation. The cover must be on the thermostat to be eligible for the incentive.

Those with mercury thermometers can swap them for a digital thermometer for free. Kinney Drugs also accepts mercury thermometers on a daily basis, but they do not swap for a new  thermometer at the store. 

Not accepted

The collection cannot accept compressed gases, fire extinguishers, explosives, radioactive or infectious wastes.

Small businesses with hazardous waste items to turn in should pre-register by Thursday, Oct. 1, by contacting alliance administrator John Malter at 244-7373