Who is Required to Recycle?
Everyone! The Mandatory Recycling Act went into effect in Connecticut on January 1, 1991. It applies to every business, every household, every institution, and every government agency.
Recycling…It’s the Law!
Go to: http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2714&q=324896&deepNav_GID=1645
To find information on: What Cannot Go in the Trash?; Additional Recyclable Items; Why Recycle?; What Does the Law Require my Hauler to do?; Multi-Family and Condo Recycling; and Technical Assistance
Who Do I Call to Get a Recycling Bin and Find Out What is Recycled in My Town?
Contact your town hall or local Department of Public Works to see about a recycling bin and what additional items are accepted for recycling.
How Do I Get Rid of My Household Hazardous Waste?
Most communities in Connecticut offer at least one opportunity a year to their residents to dispose of hazardous items that they have in their home. These collections usually take place in the spring and fall. Call your town hall to find out the next available opportunity to properly dispose of this material in your area.
Common Household Hazardous Wastes that May Be Brought to a Collection Day
Common household hazardous wastes include: antifreeze, batteries (household), mercury fever thermometers, brake fluid, gasoline, oil based paint, (see information below about the Connecticut Paint Stewardship Program) paint stripper/thinners, transmission fluid, turpentine, aerosols (unfinished), ammonia, disinfectants, drain cleaners, floor care products, oven cleaners, polishes, spot and stain removers, wood preservatives, adhesives, artist’s paints, charcoal lighter fluid, cleaning solvents, epoxy products, fungicides, glues, herbicides, insecticides, kerosene, moth balls, and pool chemicals. This list is not all encompassing.
For More Information About Hazardous Waste Go To Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
NOTE: Pharmaceuticals and sharps cannot be brought to HHW collections. Some towns or pharmacies occasionally offer special collections where residents can bring sharps, prescription medications, veterinary medicines, and over-the-counter (OTC) products.
For More Information On How to Safely Dispose of Needles Go To:
https://web.archive.org/web/20140110233446/http://safeneedledisposal.org/index.cfm?load=page&page=71
Connecticut Paint Stewardship Program:
PaintCare has set up drop off sites statewide for residents and businesses to take left over architectural paint. Most of the sites are at paint retailers (paint and hardware stores). A number of drop off sites are transfer stations and these locations only accept paint from their own households.
For more information and to find a PaintCare drop off location go to http://www.paintcare.org/connecticut/index.php#municipal
To Find Providers in Connecticut’s Community Resources Database:
Search by service names:
————————
SOURCE: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
PREPARED BY: 211/mm
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: June2023