Sandy Springs residents can dispose of household hazardous waste through a collection event on May 22 by Keep North Fulton Beautiful and sponsored by the city.

The hazardous waste collection event has been held every other year since Sandy Springs was formed in 2006, said Kathy Reed, KNFB executive director. Only city residents can participate. Businesses and contractors are prohibited.

Pre-registration is required. The deadline is May 20 or when the event reaches capacity. Registrations will not be accepted on site, Reed said. A valid photo ID that shows a Sandy Springs address is required.

This year the collection will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at an office building at 620 Morgan Falls Road, the future location of the Sandy Springs Public Safety headquarters. That is a different location from the KNFB recycling center, which will not accept hazardous materials. 

The city gives KNFB $75,000 for the hazardous waste collection event. No fee will be charged to local residents, but donations will be accepted.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended guidelines will be followed for the health and safety of KNFB workers, volunteers and local residents. People who attend will not be allowed to get out of their vehicles, which volunteers will unload.

“In the last 10 years, we have collected over a quarter of a million pounds of household chemicals from Sandy Springs residents alone,” Reed said.

She said KNFB collects more than 50,000 pounds of hazardous materials at each event, including paint, household cleaners, pesticides, flammable materials such as solvents, automotive fluids, batteries and pool chemicals.

“Our most popular item by far (based on weight and volume) is paint,” Reed said.

She suggests that Sandy Springs residents only buy enough paint as needed to avoid leftovers. They can shop for environmentally safe household cleaning products to avoid harsh chemicals, which cannot be tossed into regular trash, dumped down the drain or in storm drains.

Accepted Items

• Aerosols
• Automotive fluids, including gasoline, motor oil and antifreeze
• Batteries, but the event will not accept alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, A, B, C, 9V batteries can be safely disposed of in regular trash).
• Cleaning products
• Cooking fats, oils or grease
• Fire extinguishers
• Fluorescent light bulbs (curly or tubes) 
• Herbicides and pesticides
• Mercury devices (thermostat/thermometers)
• Paint, with a limit of 80 pounds per vehicle. (A full gallon of paint is about 8-10 pounds).
• Pool chemicals
• Propane cylinders
• Paint thinner and solvents
• Smoke detectors with the battery removed

Unacceptable Items

• No medical waste or needles
• No ammunition or explosives
• No pharmaceuticals
• No electronics
• No non-hazardous items