BETHEL — Residents of the Bethel and Rumford areas have a chance on Saturday to safely dispose of household hazardous waste that may have been piling up in their garages or barns.

Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments is sponsoring collection of such items as oil-based paints, solvents, loose mercury, pesticides and other potentially harmful chemicals from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 26, at the SAD 44 bus barn on Cross Street.

This is the final household hazardous waste collection in western Maine for the season.

AVCOG Planning Director Fergus Lea said oil-based paint and associated solvents are the most popular items brought to such collections. Latex paint may be discarded at transfer stations during regular hours and not at hazardous waste collections. Such paint should be dried before discarding. Thermometers and thermostats may also be disposed of at transfer stations through the attendants. Ammunition will also not be accepted.

The planning agency sponsored similar collections in Jay and Wilton this fall, and in the Rumford area during the spring.

Lea said household hazardous waste should be left in original containers, if possible. If any liquid appears to be leaking or is in danger of breakage, it should be placed in cardboard boxes or wrapped in plastic.

Other items accepted at household hazardous waste sites include home chemistry kits. He said the older ones, in particular, are dangerous.

Residents of the towns of Bethel, Newry, Hanover, Greenwood, Woodstock, Rumford, Mexico, Andover, Byron, Canton, Dixfield, Peru and Roxbury may bring hazardous wastes to the Bethel site at no charge. Residents of other towns that have had similar collections may also bring items at no charge. Lea said these towns have paid a fee for their residents to dispose of hazardous wastes.

The residents of other towns may also participate, but must pay $27 per five gallons of liquid waste or 20 pounds of dry waste.

Environmental Projects Inc. of Auburn will operate the Bethel collection. Volunteers from Bethel, Greenwood, Newry, Hanover and Woodstock will help out.

Lea said EPI accepts household hazardous wastes at its facility in Auburn year-round.

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