>Toxic-items disposal offered by counties
Friday, January 2, 2009
Last updated: Friday January 2, 2009, 7:46 AM
BY SCOTT FALLON
NorthJersey.com
STAFF WRITER
Some things don’t belong in an ordinary trash can, like computer chips, motor oil or paint thinner.
To help you get rid of some of the more toxic household items, recycling coordinators in Bergen and Passaic counties have set up a 2009 schedule for free disposal.
Computers and electronics: Computers contain heavy metals like lead and arsenic that can be harmful if released into the air through incineration or leaked from a landfill.
Motherboards, monitors, laptops, printers, keyboards, fax machines, hard drives, modems, speakers, wiring and other electronics will be accepted during several dates this year in Bergen and Passaic.
Passaic County officials expect to receive more than the 35 tons collected last year. The bulk of the increase, they say, will come from televisions that can’t receive a digital signal.
The federal government is requiring a switch to all digital transmissions in February, meaning some older televisions will require converter boxes.
In Bergen
* April 26, and Aug. 22 at the Bergen County Community Services Building at 327 E. Ridgewood Ave. in Paramus.
* June 13 and Nov. 7 at Campgaw Mountain Reservation at 200 Campgaw Road in Mahwah. Proof of residency is required at both locations. Residential disposal only.
In Passaic
* May 8 and 9 and Sept. 25 and 26 at the Passaic County Para-Transit facility, 1310 Route 23 north in Wayne. Businesses can schedule an appointment for either May 8 or Sept. 25.
Household chemicals: Head down to your basement or out to the garage and chances are you’ll find a dusty bin of batteries, paint remover or insecticide. While they may no longer serve their purpose, the toxicity in these items still remains.
“We’ll take just about anything: solvents, herbicides, oil-based paints, propane tanks, antifreeze, used motor oil, fire extinguishers, you name it,” said Nina Seiden, Passaic County’s solid water and recycling administrator.
About the only items Bergen and Passaic officials won’t accept are explosives, medical waste and radioactive material.
In Bergen
* April 5, June 28 and Oct. 4 at Bergen Community College, 400 Paramus Road in Paramus.
* March 14 and July 18 at the Bergen County Utilities Authority, Empire Boulevard in Moonachie.
* May 16, Sept. 12 and Nov. 21 at Campgaw Mountain Reservation in Mahwah.
In Passaic
* April 25 and Oct. 10 at the Passaic County-Para Transit Facility in Wayne and June 6 at the West Milford Recycling Center at 30 Lycosky Drive.
Tires: If not properly disposed of, tires can become a fire hazard, a source of air pollution or a perfect incubator for mosquito larvae.
In Bergen
* April 26, and Aug. 22 at the Bergen County Community Services Building in Paramus.
* June 13 and Nov. 7 at Campgaw Mountain Reservation in Mahwah.
Proof of residency is required at both locations. Tires can be with or without rims. There is a four-tire limit per person.
Passaic County does not have a tire disposal program for 2009.
