Broome landfill usually charges fee to dispose chemicals, electronics. It's free Saturday
Did Santa drop off a brand new flat-screen television on Christmas Day and now the old set is in the corner collecting dust?
Did you make a New Year’s resolution to clean out the basement or garage and are ready to get started?
If so, fortune is smiling for Broome County residents, who won't have to pay a fee on Saturday to drop off household chemicals and old electronics at the county landfill, 286 Knapp Road, Binghamton.
Two or three times each month, the landfill hosts Free Hazardous Waste and Electronics Recycling days, waiving the $5 fee the county charges residents to discard those types of items at the landfill on non-designated collection days.
According to Debra Smith, Broome County Director of Solid Waste Management, the county contracts with a vendor to handle the hazardous materials on days where there is a free drop-off. The extra staff makes sure everything is correctly identified and separated appropriately.
"On the designated drop-off days, we have staff in the facility itself. So it is actually a drive-through service," Smith said. "You drive up, our staff unloads your vehicle and then you drive out on your way. At that time we have staff and personnel to also properly handle all the hazardous waste, separate out the materials into proper categories and package them properly.
"On days when we have the $5 fee, we place a cart outside of the facility and residents can place the material on there. Because we don’t have staffing in there, we have to take that material and handle it. That’s where the $5 charge comes in."
Saturday’s drop-off runs from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. and is limited to Broome County residents. Businesses are excluded.
Tioga County residents are only permitted to utilize the free drop-off days at the Broome County landfill from April thru November.
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What hazardous waste and electronics can be dropped off?
The landfill will accept hazardous wastes like household cleaners, pesticides, fertilizer, fluorescent bulbs, fire extinguishers, pool chemicals and similar items.
Electronics accepted for recycling include computers, monitors (three or less), televisions (three or less), stereos, laptops, radios, fax machines, copiers, printers, cellphones and tablets.
Improper disposal of household hazardous waste can pollute water resources, increase risks to human health and safety and make sewage treatment less effective.
According to Broome County officials, the free hazardous waste and electronic recycling days are popular and have encouraged additional residents to utilize the landfill service and dispose of hazardous materials in the proper manner.
After Saturday, the next free Broome County hazardous waste and electronic recycling days are scheduled for Feb. 2 and Feb. 19.
Additional information, including a complete list of accepted materials and other free collection days throughout the year, can be found at the Division of Solid Waste Management’s website.
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This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Broome to hold free hazardous waste drop off at landfill
