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Date: 9/5/2023
AMHERST — Town residents along with people who reside in Hadley, Pelham and Shutesbury are invited to take part in the town’s collection of household hazardous waste materials. The Sept. 23 event takes place from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at Fort River Elementary School.
Registration is required ahead of time for anyone wanting to be included, said Steve Telega, Amherst’s Solid Waste and Recycling supervisor.
“In order to participate, folks have to sign up,” he said.
Amherst and outer town community members can safely dispose of a number of products, household supplies and chemicals as identified by the town.
Among the materials collected are oil-based paint, old gasoline and fuels, transmission fluid as well as automotive chemicals including used motor oils.
Household cleaners and polishes along with fertilizers and pesticides will also be accepted.
“One of the most important things on our end is that we don’t take latex paint,” Telega said. “But we explain to people how they can deal with it.”
Other items not accepted for disposal include ammunition, medical waste and asbestos.
Registrations will be taken until Sept. 12 from all participating town residents as well those community members from towns part of a reciprocal agreement. Potential costs and fees involved are dependent upon the individual town the participant comes from.
Once registrations are confirmed, Telega said the process is relatively easy.
“Once I get all the registrations, we assign time appointments for people,” he said. “They pull up, they don’t even get out of their car, everything gets taken out”
Those wishing to participate can go to amherstma.gov/recycling for all necessary information.