County Executive Robert P. Astorino last week celebrated the one-year anniversary of the opening of the Household Materials Recovery Facility (H-MRF) in Valhalla, calling the collection of more than 325,000 pounds of household materials in the past year, including much of it hazardous and toxic, a success for the environment and public health and safety but adding that more needs to be done.
"The good news is that 325,000 pounds of often hazardous and toxic household materials is no longer sitting around in homes and garages, being chucked in the trash, or being flushed down the toilet. It's being properly disposed of, processed and recycled," said Astorino. "However, only a little over 3,500 households have taken advantage of the H-MRF. We can be doing so much more and I urge all county residents to take advantage of this great county resource and help the environment in the process and protect your family's health and safety."
The H-MRF, located on 15 Woods Road (on the Grasslands Reservation) in Valhalla, is open to county residents three days a week on an appointment-only basis – Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hours today were extended to 5 p.m. to celebrate the one-year anniversary.
The H-MRF is the place to bring tires, propane tanks, computers, cell phones, air conditioners, refrigerators, rechargeable batteries, medications, most automotive fluids, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides and confidential papers for shredding, among many other items.
To find a full listing of what is accepted and to make an appointment, Westchester residents can go to: www.westchestergov.com/hmrf; or call Westchester Recycling HelpLine.
The H-MRF is open to all county residents – although people in the seven communities that are not part of the county's Refuse Disposal District (Bedford, Lewisboro, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem, Pound Ridge, Somers) pay a small fee (for example, 75 cents per pound for most items; $5-10 for each appliance).
Westchester residents in all other municipalities are part of the district can use this service free of charge.
Astorino reminded residents that that they should continue to put out their ordinary recyclables (newspapers, bottles, aluminum cans, etc.) on the regular recycling days established by their local municipality or carter. Those recyclables are brought to the county's regular Material Recovery Center, or just plain "MRF" in Yonkers, where they are sorted, baled and sold in recycling markets.
Celebrating the one-year anniversary successes of the H-MRF is part of Astorino's "Earth Month" initiatives in April.