First Saturday of the Month, Household Hazardous Waste and Tire

First Saturday of the Month Drop-off

Somerset County residents can take advantage of the next First Saturday of the Month Drop-off event to clean up around their homes and yards on Oct. 6 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Somerset County Recycling Center, located at 40 Polhemus Lane, Bridgewater, N.J. 08807.

First Saturday drop-off events enable busy residents to recycle tires, clean textiles and usual curbside items in one fell swoop, as well as help people in the community who are less fortunate by donating food items for a local food bank. 

As part of the program, residents can drop off up to eight tires - with or without rims, scrap metal, antifreeze and usual curbside materials, including chipboard items and plastic bottles and containers, marked #1 through #7.  Chipboard includes gift, shoe, shirt and all retail boxes, as well as cereal, cookie, pasta, cake and cracker boxes, without the plastic liners.  Also poster board and backing from writing pads are accepted and empty, dried-out steel paint cans.

Residents also have the option of disposing of clean dry textiles throughout the year by bringing them to scheduled Saturday drop-off events.  Textiles include drapes, curtains, sheets, towels, belts, handbags, shoes (pairs), clean cloth and small stuffed animals. Textiles only will be accepted in a plastic bag. 

Future First Saturday of the Month events will be held on Nov. 3 and Dec. 1. 

No household hazardous waste will be accepted at First Saturday Drop-off events.  The next Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off will be Oct. 27 in Hillsborough Township.   For more information, contact the Somerset County Division of Solid Waste Management at
(908) 231-7031 or solidwaste@co.somerset.nj.us. 

For a complete listing of recyclable items, recycling events and much more, visit www.co.somerset.nj.us/recycle or call the Somerset County Recycling Center at (732) 469-3363.

Residents wishing to help the needy during these difficult economic times now have two opportunities. They can continue to bring canned goods and non-perishable food donations to First Saturday Drop-off events or they can put out canned goods in a plastic bag on their usual recycling pickup dates.  Items will be delivered to the Food Bank Network of Somerset County.  Perishable items and foods in glass containers are not accepted by food banks.

Somerset County no longer accepts consumer electronics (e-waste) at First Saturday of the Month events. Residents can recycle e-waste free of charge at Newtech Recycling Inc., located at 600A Apgar Drive, Somerset, N.J. 08873, on selected Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Saturday drop-off dates in 2012 will be Oct. 6, Nov. 3 and Dec 1. For more information about Newtech Recycling Inc., call (732) 564-3110 or visit www.newtechrecycling.com. 

 

Final Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off In 2012 On Oct. 27 

Take advantage of the last Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Day in 2012 to dispose of hazardous waste items in your garage, basement or other storage areas.

Somerset County will be holding a Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off event for Somerset County homeowners and farmers on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Somerset County South County Public Works Garage, located at 410 Roycefield Road, Hillsborough, N.J. 08844.

No registration is necessary, but proof of Somerset County residency is required.  The program is free to county residents. 

Household hazardous waste includes banned or outdated pesticides, antifreeze, transmission fluids, brake fluids, wet-cell car batteries, motor oil (2-gallon maximum), ammonia-based cleaners, gasoline, kerosene, oil-based paints, pool chemicals, propane tanks and rechargeable and button-cell batteries.

Additionally, you can help prevent mercury from entering the environment by dropping off mercury-containing devices such as thermometers and mercury switches, compact fluorescent light bulbs, fluorescent tubes and old thermostats.

No tires, electronics (computers and televisions), infectious waste, gas cylinders, smoke detectors, air conditioners and dehumidifiers are accepted at Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off events. 

In September, 515 county residents dropped off approximately 22,000 pounds of hazardous materials for proper disposal.  In addition, 220 gallons of used motor oil, 55 gallons of antifreeze, 160 propane tanks and 33 wet-cell batteries were collected.

For more information on types and quantities of materials accepted, contact the Somerset County Division of Solid Waste Management at (908) 231-7031 or solidwaste@co.somerset.nj.us or visit www.co.somerset.nj.us/recycle for recycling programs and information.

 

Free Tire Drop-off for Somerset County Farmers, Residents

Oct. 29 – Nov. 2 in Hillsborough

Somerset County residents and farmers will have an opportunity to remove unwanted tires from their property before the colder weather arrives and they become hidden by falling leaves or snow, becoming tripping hazards.

The Somerset County Division of Solid Waste Management is partnering with the Somerset County Road Division to collect scrap tires on Monday, Oct. 29, through Friday, Nov. 2, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Somerset County South County Public Works Garage, located at 410 Roycefield Road, Hillsborough, N.J. 08844.

Residents can drop off up to eight tires, with or without rims, per household. The program is free.  Proof of residency is required to take advantage of this program.

Proper disposal of tires benefits communities.  Scrap tires have the potential to collect standing water and attract mosquitoes. To prevent West Nile virus, tires should be stored indoors or in a covered container until they can be properly disposed. This requirement is enforceable by the Somerset County Health Department.

The tire drop-off program is funded through a grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Tires also may be dropped off at the Somerset County Recycling Center, located at 40 Polhemus Lane in Bridgewater, as part of the First Saturday of the Month drop-off program. Future drop-off dates are Nov. 3 and Dec. 1, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information, contact the Somerset County Road Division at (908) 541-5021 or RoadDiv@co.somerset.nj.us.