BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Items that can be hazardous to humans, animals and the environment are often found in the basement, the garage or cluttering up drawers and cabinets.
It’s why Northampton County will hold a hazardous waste collection event on Saturday, Sept. 30.
- Northampton County will hold a hazardous waste collection event Sept. 30
- The event is for Northampton County residents only, and slots are by appointment/first come, first served
- Online registration will open at 8 a.m. Aug. 30 , and will remain live until Sept. 25, or until slots are filled
But the event is by appointment only, and those who show up without one will be turned away, a news release said Monday.
The event
Drop off of hazardous waste will take place at Northampton Community College, at 3835 Green Pond Road, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine.
The event is intended for Northampton County residents only, with online pre-registration required. Waste will not be accepted from businesses, contractors, municipalities, nonprofits, organizations, institutions or out-of-county households.
A licensed hazardous waste company will be on site to receive, sort, package, load and transport all collected hazardous waste off site to an approved disposal facility.
According to the county website, treatment methods of disposal include fuels blending, recycling, incineration, neutralization and reuse.
How to register
The registration link, along with user instructions, will go live on the County website — at northamptoncounty.org — at 8 a.m. on Aug. 30 and will remain live through Sept. 25, or until slots are filled.
Registration will be limited to one appointment per household, with sign ups on a first come, first served basis. An email confirmation with a printable ticket will be issued upon successful registration. The ticket or the email must be presented at check-in, along with identification and proof of residency, which must match the address on the registration.
Those approved for the event must arrive within the scheduled time frame, not before or after, the county said. Those who show up outside of their scheduled time may be turned away.
What can be dropped off?
There is a limit of 30 gallons and 80 pounds of solid waste per vehicle. Acceptable materials include paint products, automotive fluids, outdoor products (pesticides, herbicides, driveway sealer, pool chemicals), and household products (lead acid car batteries, rechargeable or lithium batteries, fire extinguishers, flammables, adhesives, aerosols, etc.
Unacceptable materials include electronics, appliances, Freon, scrap metal, explosives, ammunition, radioactive waste, fireworks, smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, medical waste, latex paint, gas cylinders, helium tanks and more.
Brittney Waylen, the county’s public information officer, said the best option to dispose of items such as explosives or ammunition is for residents to contact their local police department.
“These types of materials should not be moved from their location unless directed by the proper law enforcement agency. They will be able to provide recovery or disposal instructions,” Waylen said.
Recreational fireworks must be submerged in water for at least a day, wrapped securely in plastic, and can then be disposed of in the trash.
For questions on the disposal of hazardous waste, including additional prohibited items, residents are encouraged to read through the Disposal & Recycling Guide on the county’s website.
