44 Tons Of Household Hazardous Waste Collected At Town's Collection Event

Residents in the Town of Smithtown took advantage of the Town’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event in a big way. On Saturday, October 5th, four hundred and thirty-five families went to the Municipal Services Facility on Old Northport Road in Kings Park to rid their homes of 88,490 pounds of hazardous waste.

According to the Town collected items included pesticides, liquid mercury, waste base oil paints, gasoline, paint thinners, waste gases, petroleum distillates, flammable solids, liquid and solid oxidizers, sodium and potassium nitrates, acids, corrosives, miscellaneous toxic liquids and solids, lacquers and other toxic compounds. The improper disposal of these items can damage the environment and cause health problems. 

The event was conducted by Care Environment Corp. of Landing, New Jersey. Care Environment specializes in waste removal. They were awarded the contract in a competitive bid process with a bid of $11,900.00. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will reimburse the Town for one half the cost or $5,950.00.

“The household hazardous waste collection event has been a real success. Participating in a household hazardous waste collection event allows people to safely dispose of old chemicals. It also heightens awareness that not everything offered for sale is a good thing to have and use around the house.  We should try to minimize or avoid buying toxic products in the first place,” said Smithtown Town Supervisor Patrick R. Vecchio in a released statement. 

The Town hosts two collection events a year. The next Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event will be held in the spring of 2014.