Westchester County’s Department of Environmental Facilities (DEF) will be hosting a Household Recycling Day (HRD) event during Earth Day Weekend, Saturday, April 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at FDR State Park, 2957 Crompond Rd., Rte. 202, Yorktown. The upcoming HRD event will be the first of 2024, giving residents across the County an opportunity to conveniently and safely dispose of household waste.
In 2023, DEF hosted five HRD events for over 3,400 County residents. HRD events return in 2024, looking to reach even more residents who want to dispose of household waste.
In addition to properly labelled household chemicals, tires, scrap metal, electronics, appliances and other special wastes found in a typical household, residents can bring documents for shredding and expired or unwanted medications for disposal to the HRD Event. Residents should place items in their trunk or backseat, and remain in their vehicles while staff unload vehicles in the drop-off area.
Generally, the following items are accepted for safe disposal or recycling:
- Properly labelled household chemicals, such as:
- Household cleaning products
- Most automotive fluids (antifreeze, brake fluid, gasoline, but not motor oil)
- Flammable liquids (kerosene, butane, lighter fluid, turpentine)
- Metal, jewelry, and furniture polishes and waxes; wood preservatives
- Fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides
- Photographic and swimming pool chemicals
- Batteries – only vehicle, rechargeable, or button cell batteries
- Textiles- footwear, clothing, linens, leather, small area rugs and handbags
- Latex and oil-based paint with labels visible, wood stains
- Fluorescent light bulbs & CFLs
- Fire extinguishers
- BBQ propane tanks (up to 20 lbs.)
- Mercury containing devices (thermometers and thermostats)
- Electronic waste (TVs, computer monitors and towers)
- Expired or unwanted medications, both OTC and prescription
- Personal documents for shredding (limit of four file-size boxes per household)
- Tires with or without rims, up to four
Items that will not be accepted and should not be brought to the Household Recycling Day include non-rechargeable alkaline and carbon zinc batteries (they can be safely discarded in the trash), motor oil, smoke detectors, cell phones, explosives (flares, fireworks, ammunition), construction debris and hypodermic needles. Also, waste from businesses, schools, or other institutions will not be accepted.
For more information on what to bring to this event, visit www.westchestergov.com/recycling or call (914) 813-5425.
If you are unable to attend the HRD Event, you can still dispose of your hard-to-get-rid-of household waste by making a convenient appointment for the County’s Household-Material Recycling Facility (H-MRF), 15 Woods Road, Valhalla. The H-MRF is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. by appointment, and accepts the same items that are accepted at the HRD events. For more information about the H-MRF or to make an appointment, visit https://environment.westchestergov.com/facilities/h-mrf or call (914) 813-5425.
For more information on Westchester County environmental programs and events follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WestchesterCountyDEF