The Town of Oyster Bay has announced multiple efforts for its residents to properly dispose of pollutants, waste, unwanted documents and more this spring.
The Town began its initiatives in March this year, which it said was one month earlier than it typically does due to popular demand. The town said all materials can be dropped off at the Old Bethpage Solid Waste Disposal Complex at 101 Bethpage-Sweet Hollow Road in Old Bethpage.
The S.T.O.P program, which stands for Stop Throwing Out Pollutants, allows residents to properly dispose of a wide variety of hazardous materials. Those items include asbestos material (which will need to be double bagged), automobile batteries and tires (with or without rims), brake and transmission fluids, drain and oven cleaners, fire extinguishers, fares, fluorescent bulbs, gasoline, pesticides and insecticides, oil-based and latex paint, outdoor gas grill propane tanks, photo chemicals, rechargeable and button batteries, small aerosol cans, smoke detectors, solvents, spot removers, thermostats, waste motor oil and antifreeze and wood preservatives.
“Anything poured on the ground or put into cesspools, storm drains, or recharge systems can work its way down to the aquifer or our waterways,” Supervisor Joseph Saladino said about why the town provides this service.
The program held its first drop-off date on March 8 and will also be held on Saturday, April 5, and Saturday, May 10. Future dates also include June 7, July 12, Aug. 9 and Sept. 7, according to the town’s website. The town began the S.T.O.P. program in 1986.
The town will also have two more dates this spring for the Homeowners Cleanup project on Saturday, April 19, and Saturday, May 17. This program collects non-hazardous waste, which includes air conditioners, e-waste, campers, boats and boat trailers (proof of ownership required – oil, gas, other fluids and batteries removed), concrete, large metal items, propane tanks and torches, tires, and yard waste. This program is intended to be for homeowners only and the town said that residents in the villages of Bayville, Brookville, Centre Island, Cove Neck, Glenwood-Glen Head Garbage District, Lattingtown, Laurel Hollow, Matinecock, Mill Neck, Muttontown, Old Brookville, Old Westbury, Oyster Bay Cove, Roslyn Harbor, Sea Cliff and Upper Brookville should contact their local garbage districts for the proper disposal of items.
Future dropoff dates include June 28, July 26, Aug. 23, and Sept. 21.
“We appreciate our residents helping to protect our environment through these popular programs, Saladino said. “Together we continue to work toward a greener future for our children and generations to come. By properly recycling certain waste products, our residents do their part in making our community greener while improving our local quality of life.”
The town will also provide free paper shredding services on Saturday, April 19 and Saturday, May 17.
