Town accepting household pollutants, unwanted prescription drugs today
Got a whole mess of dead batteries, empty aerosol cans or expired prescription medication but worried about what to do with them?
Here’s you chance to get rid of them the environmentally safe way.
Riverhead Town is holding a Stop Throwing Out Pollutants (STOP) day today, Saturday, May 16, at the town highway department yard on Osborn Avenue, just north of Route 58. There, residents can dump various household hazardous wastes they aren’t supposed to be putting in the regular garbage.
“Disposing of household chemicals in your trash is dangerous,” Supervisor Sean Walter said in a press release. “I encourage all Riverhead Town residents to get a jump on their spring cleaning and to properly dispose of those paint cans, pesticides and household cleaners that are cluttering up your garage and closets.”
The list of items accepted on STOP day includes adhesives, alcohols, anti-freeze, aerosols, paint solvents, degreasers, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, insecticides, photo chemicals, waxes, polishes, stains, varnishes, turpentine, oven cleaners, mothballs, oil base paints, lead base paints, all types of cleaners, used motor oil, old gasoline, batteries, transmission fluid, starter fluid, brake fluid, pool chemicals, photo chemicals, lighter fluid, kerosene, fluorescent bulbs, computers and electronic equipments. [Scroll down for a complete list]
People can bring these items to the highway yard between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. today.
Items not accepted at the STOP day include explosives, medical waste, and commercial or industrial waste.
In addition to household pollutants, the Riverhead Community Coalition for Safe and Drug-Free Youth along with the Riverhead Police Department are hosting a free drug collection today for residents to safely dispose of unwanted, unused or expired prescription medication.
Locals can bring the unwanted drugs to police headquarters at 210 Howell Avenue between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
For more information, call the sanitation department at 727-3200 ext. 391.
