Catawba County’s annual spring residential household hazardous waste collection event will take place Saturday, May 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hickory American Legion Fairgrounds. The fairgrounds are located at 1 American Legion Avenue off Hwy 70 in Newton.
The event is open to Catawba County residents only and is free of charge. Residents are advised to be prepared to wait due to anticipated high volumes of materials. No trailers are allowed.
A partial list of residential household hazardous waste accepted at the event includes the following: Household cleaners such as drain openers, toilet bowl cleaners, oven cleaners, disinfectants, and pine cleaners. All types of paint products such as latex and oil-based paints, spray paints, solvents, thinners, shellacs, varnishes, wood preservatives, and sealers.
Automotive products such as lead-acid batteries, used motor oil, antifreeze, brake fluid, and auto starter fluid. Pesticides and insecticides such as poisons and aerosols. Chemical-based products such as acids, bases, kerosene, household batteries, photographic chemicals, pool chemicals, gas cylinders, fluorescent tubes, and mercury thermometers.
Electronics such as computer monitors and intact televisions, laptops, floppy drives, hard drives, ink/toner cartridges, modems, cell phones, answering machines, CD players, tape players, calculators, copiers, duplicators, microwaves, electronic typewriters, pagers, radios, remote controls, scanners, stereos, and VCRs. Medications and prescription drugs (not including sharps or needles). The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office will offer collection of unwanted medications and prescription drugs. Sharps or needles will not be accepted.
For safety reasons, the event will not accept tires, radioactive waste, biologically active or infectious waste, unknown gases or chemicals, dioxin-related waste, explosives, household garbage, lawn mowers, weed eaters, appliances, or TVs with broken screens or internal parts removed. No business waste will be accepted.
To assist with electronics recycling and disposal, the County contracts with companies certified to ensure proper handling and security of the waste collected. All data and data-bearing devices on electronic equipment will be destroyed, but the County cannot guarantee the non-disclosure of any information left on equipment.
As a reminder, paint (no spray cans), electronics, and household batteries are accepted at the Blackburn Landfill, located at 4017 Rocky Ford Road in Newton, during regular operating hours year-round and free of charge. Residents who bring plastic bags to the May 7 event to be recycled will receive a reusable bag courtesy of Keep Catawba County Beautiful.
The one-day event is sponsored by Catawba County Utilities and Engineering and is co-sponsored by Republic Services, Keep Catawba County Beautiful, Cooperative Extension Service, Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, and the NC State Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. For more information, please contact Catawba County Utilities and Engineering at (828) 465-8217 or visit www.catawbacountync.gov.