The Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities (DEF) will hold a Household Recycling Day (HRD) event at Rye Playland on Saturday, November 7, 2026. The event offer a convenient way to safely dispose of household chemicals, electronics, unwanted medications and other materials that require special handling and should not go in regular household trash.
“We all have things sitting around our homes that we are not quite sure how to get rid of, whether it is old paint, electronics or household chemicals,” said Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins. “These recycling events give our residents an easy way to dispose of those materials safely and responsibly. It is a simple but important step we can all take to protect our environment and keep potentially harmful materials out of our regular waste stream.”
The Playland event is on Saturday, November 7, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Playland Park, 1 Playland Parkway, Rye.
Residents may experience extended wait times. Those who wish to avoid long lines or cannot attend are encouraged to schedule an appointment at the County’s Household Material Recovery Facility (H-MRF) (or call (914) 813-5425), located at 15 Woods Road on the Grasslands Campus in Valhalla. The H-MRF accepts the same items as HRDs and is open year-round, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Here is a list of items accepted and not accepted at these material recovery days:
Wastes Accepted
- Automotive fluids (except motor oil)
- Car tires (with or without rims) up to four per household
- Confidential personal documents (shredding), up to four file boxes (10″ x 12″ x 15″) OR six brown paper bags of personal documents only will be accepted per appointment. The shredder has a limited capacity. Please consider using the much larger Mobile Shredder for residentially generated confidential documents. Private businesses must hire a private shredding service.
- Electronic waste (e.g. computers, televisions, cell phones)
- Expired or unused pharmaceuticals
- Fire Extinguishers
- Fluorescent light bulbs (including CFLs and tube-shaped fluorescent bulbs)
- LEDs (some manufacturers and local hardware stores also accept LEDs)
- Kerosene and other flammable liquids
- Mercury thermometers, thermostats
- Metal, jewelry, and furniture polish
- Paint (oil and latex-based), Wood preservatives, and Stains – store paint cans in leak-proof bins to avoid spilling in transit
- Pesticides, insecticides, herbicides
- Photo and swimming pool chemicals
- Propane tanks
- Rechargeable batteries
- Individually bag batteries or tape ends
- If transporting lithium-ion batteries that are damaged, take care to package them for transport and then place them in sand or kitty litter.
- Refrigerant-containing household appliances (e.g. air conditioners, refrigerators, and dehumidifiers)
- Textiles (footwear, clothing, linens and more)
- Cooking fats, oils and grease
Wastes Not Accepted
Toilets, porcelain sinks
Asbestos (Under NO circumstances will asbestos be accepted)
Construction and demolition debris (including wood and shingles)
Curbside recyclables (glass, metal, plastic, cardboard, and paper products)
E-Bike, EV, and Hybrid Batteries
Explosives (e.g., fireworks, bullets, and flares–call your local police department for instructions)
Junk mail, Newspapers, Magazines, Notebooks, Photographs, and Cardboard. Papers from businesses, institutions, or commercial enterprises will not be accepted for shredding. County staff will reject any paper identified as commercial or institutional.
Large Rugs/Carpets
MAP Gas tanks, Acetylene gas tanks, Nitrogen Tanks, and Oxygen tanks
Medical waste (except pharmaceuticals), and Sharps (medical needles and syringes)
Motor oil
Non-rechargeable alkaline and carbon-zinc batteries (dispose of in trash)
Plastic Bags (bring to a large retailer)
Any propane tank size except 20 lb. BBQ and 1 lb. small camping-sized
Smoke and fire detectors (Residents should first contact a manufacturer to check if a take-back program is offered for these items. Many additional companies offer acceptance programs for smoke detectors.) If unable to use a return service, residents can place these items in household trash only once the battery has been removed.
Solar Panels, including portable solar panel chargers
