LEWISTON — The Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments announced the opening of the Environmental Depot at the Lewiston Solid Waste Facility, 424 River Road, on Saturday, May 5.

It will be open from 8 a.m. to noon the first and third Saturdays of each month, except for three-day holiday weekends, through November.

“Hazardous substances such as oil-based paints, pesticides and old gasoline can cause significant environmental, health and safety problems if not properly disposed or even if left around the house,” Ferg Lea, an environmental engineer at AVCOG, noted. “This is one of the few places in the state where residents can safely get rid of them.”

The facility accepts materials from residents of participating municipalities, which are most of the municipalities throughout Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties, at no charge. Residents from other communities can bring waste to the depot at a cost of $28 per five gallons.

AVCOG, which runs the facility in conjunction with EPI, a licensed hazardous waste hauler, also organizes one-day collections at a number of towns throughout the region. The next three will be held in Mexico and Andover on June 9, and Norway-Paris on Aug. 4.

Last year, a record 11,165 gallons were collected: 5,095 gallons at the depot, and 6,070 at satellite collections.

For a list of participating communities or for more information, go to www.avcog.org.