Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Virtually all households have some household hazardous waste (HHW). HHW is generally defined as a household waste that is toxic, flammable, reactive or corrosive. Common HHW includes oil-based paints, thinners, pool chemicals, pesticides, mercury fever thermometers, and gasoline. Household hazardous waste collection programs provide an opportunity to manage these wastes in an environmentally safe manner and dispose of all those nasty items we tend to accumulate in our kitchens, basements, garages, sheds, and workshops. Since the first collection in 1984 in Ridgefield, HHW programs have grown dramatically. Collections are available for nearly every resident and, on average, over 30,000 state residents participate in a HHW collection each year!
1. Program Overview
1.1 Dos & Don'ts
1.2 Acceptable & Unacceptable Items
2. Online Appointments (Mandatory)
3. 2024 Event Schedule
3.1 Collection Events at the Regional HHW Facility
3.2 Fall Outreach Collection Event
4. Other Helpful Programs
4.3 Connecticut PaintCare Recycling Program
4.4 Prescription Medication Collection
Manchester is the home of a regional center for household hazardous waste collection. This center, built with grant funding from the Department of Environmental Protection, is operated by the Capitol Region East Operating Committee (CREOC) adjacent to the Manchester Landfill on Olcott Street. Residents of Ellington, Glastonbury, Hebron, Marlborough, Somers, South Windsor, Stafford, and Vernon are also able to use the Center. The Center is staffed by trained professionals from a licensed hazardous waste management firm. There is NO CHARGE to any resident of any of the participating towns listed above to use the center.
This is your opportunity to safely dispose of paints, stains, acids, automotive fluids, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, chemicals, household cleaning products, and other household hazardous materials which may have accumulated at your home, in your basement, or garage. To minimize the use of hazardous material, check out the resource that's linked below!
Household Alternatives for a Safer Environment
- Bring a DRIVER’S LICENSE, TAX BILL OR CAR REGISTRATION to prove residency.
- Leave all materials in their ORIGINAL containers.
- Follow the rules listed under the Acceptable & Unacceptable Items section, below.
- DO NOT BRING in used/waste motor oil or antifreeze. These are NOT hazardous waste. They can be brought to your Town's Transfer Station and/or certain automotive stores. More information can be found on the CT DEEP website, linked below, if your Town does not have a Transfer Station or offer collection for these fluids.
What do I do with?...
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Online appointments are mandatory. Make your ONLINE APPOINTMENT here.
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The annual HHW Collection Save-the-Date postcard is mailed every March. Please hold onto it! We only send one mailer in the spring for the entire calendar year (no fall mailer will be sent). You can click the link below to download an electronic copy of the HHW postcard:
Location: Manchester Public Works Department Garage, 321 Olcott Street, Manchester, CT
Directions: Exit 1 from 384, follow Spencer Street for 0.9 miles. Turn left on Olcott Street. Follow signs to Facility.
Dates: These events occur on the 3rd Saturday of each month, from March through November (with the exception of our Wednesday evening event in July).
- Saturday, March 16, 2024, 8am-1pm
- Saturday, April 20, 2024, 8am-1pm
- Saturday, May 18, 2024, 8am-1pm
- Saturday, June 15, 2024, 8am-1pm
- Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 3pm-7pm (evening event)
- Saturday, August 17, 2024, 8am-1pm
- Saturday, September 21, 2024, 8am-1pm
- Saturday, October 19, 2024, 8am-1pm
- Saturday, November 16, 2024, 8am-1pm
Times: All Saturday collections are held from 8am to 1pm. For the last appointments of the events, please arrive by 1pm. All cars in line as of 1pm will be serviced and cars arriving after 1pm will not be serviced. (In the instance of our evening event, final appointments should arrive by 3pm in order to be serviced.)
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Location: Stafford Highway Department Garage, 210 East Street (Route 19), Stafford, CT
Time: The outreach collection event will be held from 8am to 1pm. For the last appointments of the events, please arrive by 1pm. All cars in line as of 1pm will be serviced and cars arriving after 1pm will not be serviced.
Date: Saturday, October 5, 2024, 8am-1pm
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The State of Connecticut is one of eight states covered by PaintCare. PaintCare is a non-profit organiztion created by the American Coatings Association to manage the industry's various paint recycling programs. All residents and businesses in Connecticut are able to recycle eligbile paints and stains at participating paint take back locations. The closest participating locations for Manchester residents are the Sherwin-Williams paint stores located in Manchester and East Hartford. Please note at this time most Sherwin Williams stores have a 5 container limit for recycling unwanted paints/stains per visit; contact each store directly to confirm their take back program policies. PaintCare also has a convenient look up tool on their website for other take back locations in Connecticut.
Sherwin-Williams
257 Broad St.
Manchester, CT 06040
Phone: 860-643-6636
Sherwin-Williams
100 Tolland Tpke.
Manchester, CT 06042
Phone: 860-533-9548
Sherwin-Williams
275 Park Ave.
East Hartford, CT 06108
Phone: 860-289-0814
Program Contact
More Information
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The Manchester Police Department collects unwanted prescription medications in a permanent collection container located at the Police Department at 239 Middle Turnpike East.
For more information, call 860-647-5568 or click the link, below.
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