The Erie County Department of Environment and Planning (“ECDEP”) has announced two additional household hazardous waste (“HHW”) collection events for the 2020 season, to be held on September 26 in the City of Buffalo and October 31 in the Town of Boston. Each collection event is a no-cost opportunity for Erie County residents to properly dispose of hazardous items that should not be placed in the regular garbage.

PLEASE NOTE: Specific location and times for each event will be provided at time of registration, which is required to participate.  Registration, on-line or by phone, will open 30 days prior to each event.  More details, including the registration link, are available at www.erie.gov/recycling . 

The registration system has been instituted for this program to better serve residents by providing collections at a variety of sites countywide without the long wait times experienced in the past.  Additionally, a new option has been implemented this year – the HHW Voucher Drop-off program at a private facility in Tonawanda.  This drop-off program offers residents a way to properly dispose of their HHW six days a week throughout the year.  For more information, visit www.erie.gov/recycling  or call (716)858-6800.

“We have been thrilled with the response from our residents to the changes we’ve made to our HHW program,” said Commissioner Thomas Hersey. “The new registration system for our collection events has almost eliminated wait times and now the new HHW Drop-off Voucher gives residents the flexibility to make an appointment to drop-off these hazardous materials (Monday through Saturday) at a time that is convenient for them.” 

HHW is any unwanted household product labeled as flammable, toxic, corrosive, or reactive. The most common products include pool chemicals, anti-freeze, fertilizers, paint supplies, photo chemicals, poisons, and solvents.  Labels may also have warnings that substances can catch fire, react with other chemicals or can explode.  A list of items that will be accepted at the collection events and through the drop-off program can be reviewed at www.erie.gov/recycling  or call 716-858-6800 to find out more information.

Participants must verify that their waste products were generated by households.  Please note, due to COVID-19 there may be changes or cancellations for either of these events.  Additional support for these events is provided by the Northeast Southtowns and Northwest Solid Waste Management Boards, the City of Buffalo, SUNY ERIE and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.                                                                                  

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