MEXICO — The annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection for the River Valley will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 7, in the parking lot at the Region 9 School of Applied Technology beside Route 2.

It is co-sponsored by the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition and is part of the ongoing Western Maine Environmental Depot Collection Program run by the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments and a private, qualified contractor.

AVCOG operates the program in conjunction with EPI, a licensed hazardous waste hauler that ships wastes to out-of-state recycling and disposal locations for proper handling.

Household chemicals that have been sitting under kitchen sinks or in basements and garages for many years can be brought to the site, Barb Fortier, environmental planner at AVCOG, said Tuesday in a news release.

Residents of Rumford, Mexico, Dixfield, Peru, Hanover, Andover, Roxbury and Byron can dispose of their household hazardous wastes at no cost for up to 25 gallons.

“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,” Fortier said.

“Cans can leak, labels can disintegrate and materials end up being used improperly. And many of the materials can create a hazard for curious children,” she said.

At this time, latex paint is not accepted. But under a new law, the paint manufacturers will be setting up a program to finance the collection and recycling or disposal of it by 2015, she said.

Until then, latex paint should be dried out and put in the regular trash. Oil-based paints, stains and varnishes are accepted at household hazardous waste collections.

Residents may also bring their hazardous waste to the Environmental Depot, the permanent facility at the Solid Waste Facility at 424 River Road in Lewiston. It is open from 8 a.m. to noon the first and third Saturdays of each month, except for three-day holiday weekends, May through November.

Other one-day collections in the Western Maine area will be held in the fall. Residents of towns participating in the Environmental Depot household hazardous waste collection program can use the depot or any collection event in their region at no cost.

Participating municipalities include most of the towns in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties. Residents from other communities can bring waste to the Environmental Depot at a cost of $28.50 for up to five gallons.

For a list of participating communities or for more information, visit www.avcog.org. Household Hazardous Waste is found under Municipal Services. People may also call Fortier at 783-9186, email Bfortier@avcog.org or check with their town office.

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