CANTON — The Development Authority of the North Country, in cooperation with its regional county partners and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, will be sponsoring five free household hazardous waste collection days this spring and fall to help residents in Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Lewis counties properly dispose of certain hazardous materials.

Local collection days will be May 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sept. 18 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Canton at the St. Lawrence County Human Services Building. Other collection days will be staged in Watertown and Lowville.

Items such as solvents, pesticides, fluorescent light tubes, pool chemicals, oil-based paints and aerosol cans that still have product in them will be accepted. Empty aerosol cans, motor oil, asbestos, construction debris, explosives and latex paint will not be accepted.

If paint can be cleaned up with water it is not oil-based and should be dried up and disposed of in the regular trash. Electronic waste (televisions, computers) will not be accepted, it can be recycled at most county transfer stations.

The collection events are open to residential households only; waste will not be accepted from businesses, schools, farms or municipalities.

Attendees are asked to wear a face covering and remain in their vehicle at all times.  

For a complete listing of what will and will not be accepted at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days, visit www.northcountryrecycles.org.

There you can also find tips on how to dispose of items that will not be accepted at the events.