“Make a Clean Sweep” is the theme for the ninth annual collection.

AUBURN – For the ninth year, residents in Lewiston-Auburn and more than 40 other western Maine communities will be able to dispose of hazardous household products they no longer have a use for.

Residents of Lewiston, Auburn, Durham, Greene, Sabattus and Hebron should contact Carol or Susan at Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments (783-9186) to make an appointment to bring their hazardous wastes to the Auburn Public Works Garage from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27.

Residents of other towns should check the information below or contact their town office or solid waste facility. The collection is for household-generated waste only; no business waste will be accepted.

This year’s event, sponsored by AVCOG, has a “Make a Clean Sweep” theme and provides tips for safer alternatives for the home, garage and garden. Products are considered hazardous if they are ignitable, toxic, corrosive or reactive; look for the words poison, corrosive, toxic, volatile, flammable, caution, danger or warning on the label.

While the products are considered safe when used according to label instructions, they can be a fire hazard, poison people or animals and pollute the home and natural environment if disposed of improperly.

Residents can save money and generate less waste material by following these tips: Check the label before you buy; products labeled warning or caution are less hazardous than those labeled danger or poison; buy only the amount of a hazardous product that you need; use materials according to label instructions; store materials such as paints to extend their useful life.

Latex paint will not be collected. It is not hazardous and should be used up if possible; small amounts can be donated to organizations such as theater groups who need small amounts of multiple colors. If dried, by using an absorbent, latex paint can be thrown away with regular trash. Ask for AVCOG’s “Managing Latex Paint Makes DollarZ and Sense” for additional tips.

Those who have questions can contact Carol at the above number (or e-mail [email protected]).

The following is a list of participating towns in the region. Residents from non-participating towns may participate for a fee.

Andover: Saturday, Sept. 20, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., transfer station; no preregistration.

Bethel/Hanover/Newry: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 9 to 11 a.m., Bethel Transfer Station; no preregistration.

Buckfield/Sumner/Hartford: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon, Buckfield Municipal Center parking lot; no preregistration.

Byron: see Rumford.

Carrabassett Valley: Sept. 1 through 19 from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Carrabassett Valley Transfer Station. Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; no preregistration.

Carthage: Sunday, Sept. 14, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., transfer station; no preregistration.

Dixfield: see Rumford.

Farmington: Sunday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., new town garage, 122 Public Works Drive; call Linda Grant at 778-6538. The town will charge $12 a five-gallon unit.

Fryeburg: Saturday, Sept. 20, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., transfer station, Route 5; no preregistration.

Greenwood: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon, fire station; no preregistration.

Hanover: see Bethel.

Hartford: see Buckfield.

Hebron: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Auburn Public Works; call Fuller or Martin, 783-9186.

Jay: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 8 a.m. to noon, recycling center and transfer station; no preregistration.

Kingfield/New Portland: Friday, Sept. 19, from 1 to 5 p.m., Kingfield/New Portland Transfer Station; no preregistration.

Leeds: Saturday, Sept. 27, 9 a.m. to noon, recycling center; no preregistration.

Livermore Falls: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 8 a.m. to noon, highway garage, Park Street; no preregistration.

Mexico: see Rumford.

Minot: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., highway garage; no preregistration.

Newry: see Bethel.

Norway/Paris: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 8 a.m. to noon, transfer station, 39 Brown St.; no preregistration.

Otisfield: Friday, Sept. 26, from 3 to 7 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 27, from 8 a.m. to noon, transfer station; no preregistration.

Oxford: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 8 a.m. to noon, transfer station, Smith Road; call Randy Pike, 539-4376.

Paris: see Norway.

Peru: see Rumford.

Phillips: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 8 to 10:30 a.m., transfer station; no preregistration.

Rangeley: Saturday, Sept. 20, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., town garage, Robbins Road; call Rich or Rick, 864-5610. Check materials for type and quantity before calling.

Roxbury: see Rumford.

Rumford/Byron/Dixfield/Mexico/Peru/Roxbury: Friday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon, Northern Oxford Solid Waste Transfer and Recycling Center. Call 364-3645. No latex paint will be accepted.

Sandy River Plantation: Sunday, Sept. 21, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., transfer station; no preregistration; FMI, 864-2234.

Sumner: see Buckfield.

Turner: Tuesday and Friday, Sept. 23 and 26, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., transfer station, Snell Hill; no preregistration.

Wayne: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., fire station, Route 133; no preregistration; FMI, 685-4983.

West Paris: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 8 a.m. to noon, transfer station; call 674-2701 or 674-2385

Wilton: Saturday, Sept. 20, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., transfer station; no preregistration.

Woodstock: Saturday, Sept. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon, town garage; no preregistration.