Westchester County’s Department of Environmental Facilities (DEF) will be conducting a Household Recycling Day (HRD) Event on Saturday, November 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Playland Park in Rye. This is an easy and safe way to dispose of various items – from nasty chemicals to tires to propane tanks to medications – that should never be put into your curbside garbage.
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.
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
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 (4) file-size boxes per household)
Tires
Items that will not be accepted and should not be brought to the Household Recycling Day include latex paint (it can be hardened and disposed of in the trash), 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. See more information on what to bring and not to bring to this event.
Rye’s Zero Waste Committee will also be on-site to accept items for various not-for-profits, including gently used furniture and soccer equipment, eye glasses and small appliances including microwaves, TVs (42” and smaller), blenders, vacuums, window AC units and others. See more information on items that can be donated.
COVID-19 precautions are in place to allow DEF to once again host these events for County residents. Residents should place items in their trunk or backseat, remain in their vehicles, and must wear masks while in the drop-off area. In 2020, DEF hosted two HRD events and residents delivered nearly 275,000 pounds of household waste and approximately 37,000 pounds of documents for shredding. The upcoming HRD Event in Rye is the fourth event of 2021.
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 with 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 only, and accepts the same items that are accepted at 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.
