The UCRRA Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Events are an environmentally-sound and convenient way for Ulster County residents to dispose of hazardous materials. This program is offered at no cost to Ulster County residents. All participants must pre-register before the event and comply with all program rules listed on this page. Before making an appointment, please read this page carefully for important communications about the program and how to participate!

HHW Program Rules

 Click on the statement below to read the full rule description.
UCRRA reserves the right to reject participants that do not comply with the program rules.

Participants must be a legal resident of Ulster County. No exceptions.

Accepted wastes must be generated in a home, and not affiliated with any commercial business, nonprofit, or institution. All participants must sign a Declaration of Residency and Non-Commercial Waste statement.

A Registration Period (for each event) will open 4-6 weeks before the collection day. Appointments are required to accommodate the high number of participants and will be accepted until the maximum allowable slots are filled. Once the schedule becomes full, the Agency will maintain a waiting list for any cancellations. We aim to accommodate as many residents as possible! If you cannot keep your appointment, please share a courtesy of contacting us as soon as possible so that we may offer the slot to another household.

Each household may bring up to 220 lbs. or a 25 gallon equivalent of the accepted items. No containers larger than 5 gallons will be accepted. Fluorescent bulb limit: 24 bulbs per household. The Agency reserves the right to judge the amount of waste.

If a product is not in its original container, or it is an unknown or unlabeled substance, contact UCRRA 2-3 weeks before the event for further instructions.

Boxes, gas cans, and other containers will not be returned. No exceptions.

Authorized personnel will unload your vehicle for you.

Please share the courtesy of calling us to cancel your appointment as soon as possible and no later than the Friday before the event. Only a limited number of appointment slots are available and this program is in high demand. Cancelling your appointment allows us to accommodate another household on the waiting list.

PUT ALL ITEMS IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR. This will allow us to unload your vehicle quickly, and it minimizes harm to you and other passengers in your vehicle. We ask that you please package any paint products separately from other chemicals (in the trunk of your vehicle).

Accepted Items

  • Aerosols (spray cans)
  • Automotive cleaners & fluids (antifreeze, brake fluid, transmission fluid, oil filters, etc.) – NO MOTOR OIL
  • Bug spray, insecticides, rat poisons, mothballs, etc.
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s, UV, tubes, spirals, etc.)
  • Household cleaners (oven, toilet, drain, carpet, window, bleach, disinfectant, all-purpose, etc.)
  • Lawn & garden chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, etc.)
  • Lead, oil-based, or latex paint
  • Mercury, thermostats, thermometers
  • Mineral spirits, turpentine
  • Photography chemicals
  • Pool chemicals
  • Stains, varnishes, etc.
  • Sealants, adhesives, etc.
  • Waste fuels (kerosene, gasoline, propane, etc.)
  • Wood cleaners & stains (polishes, waxes, varnishes, sealants, etc.)

If you have an item that is not listed here, please contact UCRRA at 845-336-3336 with any questions.

Unauthorized Wastes
These items are NOT ACCEPTED.

  • NO non-hazardous waste
  • NO Motor Oil
  • NO Batteries (except automotive batteries)
  • NO Explosives, ammunition, gun powder, or fireworks
  • NO Asbestos
  • NO Radioactive materials
  • NO Large drums or waste in containers larger than 5 gallons
  • NO Smoke detectors
  • NO Empty containers
  • NO Electronic items (computers, televisions, etc.)
  • NO Freon Appliances (air conditioners, refrigerators, etc.)
  • NO Medical waste – (SHARPS, home-use medical needles) or other etiological, pathological waste
  • NO Beauty products (make-up, lotion, nail polish, etc.)
  • NO Pharmaceuticals – Find a drop-off location near you
  • NO Waste from businesses, schools, farms, etc. These facilities must contact a Hazardous Waste/Environmental Services Company.

Please contact UCRRA at 845-336-3336 with any questions.

Upcoming 2024 Collection Events appear below (April, June, August, October 2024). Click on the event photo to navigate to an event page. Read the page carefully and scroll to the bottom to “SIGN UP NOW” unless otherwise noted. 

Did you know? You don’t have to wait for an HHW event to safely dispose of unwanted paint – thanks to Paint Care NY!

Paint disposal is more convenient than ever before, thanks to the New York State Paint Stewardship Law (enacted December 16th 2019, effective May 1st 2022). While all paint is accepted at UCRRA’s HHW events, free paint recycling is available at participating drop off locations. We encourage residents to utilize these sites for easy, free paint disposal.  

PAINTCARE drop-off sites include:

Sherwin-Williams
568 Albany Ave, Kingston, NY 12401
(845) 339-6994

Herzogs True Value Home Center
151 Plaza Rd, Kingston, NY 12401
(845) 338-6300

Saugerties Lumber True Value
223 Ulster Ave, Saugerties, NY 12477
(845) 246-4915

Habitat for Humanity Restore
406 NY-28, Kingston, NY 12401
(845) 853-7499

Slutsky Lumber
1 Pine St, Ellenville, NY, 12420
(845) 647-4141

Ace Hardware of Ellenville
140 S Main St, Ellenville, NY, 12428
(845) 647-7850

Sherwin-Williams
684 Dutchess Tpk, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
(845) 486-4640

Herzogs Paint Centers
409 Manchester Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
(845) 471-0133

Please note: DO NOT dry the paint; it must be liquid paint. 

Restrictions: Sites vary on accepted limit 5-10 gallons per visit.
Hours: Paint is accepted during regular business hours; Call ahead for hours and additional info.
Note: These sites accept latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. These sites do not accept aerosols (spray paint or other spray products), containers without original labels, or containers that are leaking or empty.

Residents with additional hazardous chemicals beyond paint should request an appointment to participate in the Agency’s HHW program.

Safer Alternatives

Please visit our webpage to learn more about safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are unable to attend an HHW collection event, please check our Recyclopedia for alternate disposal options that may or may not be available for your particular items. For commercial waste or if you have large quantities of waste, you must contact a hazardous waste removal company. Otherwise, check back frequently for announcements about our other events. We host four events per year in April, June, August, and October.

Place the items in the trunk of your car just before you leave for the event – do not leave chemicals in the car overnight or for an extended period of time. All items should be in their original container. Containers should be sealed, labeled, and securely placed in a large cardboard box in the trunk of your vehicle or secured in the back of truck beds such as with tie downs, bungee cords, etc.. If you have absolutely no choice but to place the items inside the vehicle, drive with all the windows down to promote fresh airflow in the vehicle. Gasoline, kerosene, or other flammable liquids should be transported in designated fuel canisters only. Secure any fluorescent light bulbs or ballasts so they don’t break during transport (such as by taping them together and wrapping in an old blanket).

YOU MAY EXPERIENCE A WAITING PERIOD. These events are highly attended! Our staff works hard to keep the line of cars moving safely and steadily, which is why you must schedule your appointment time. Due to uncontrollable factors such as the fluctuation of material quantities in each vehicle, or participants arriving outside of their scheduled appointment time, you may experience a waiting period of 5-20 minutes. Please arrive at your approximate scheduled appointment time. Thank you for your cooperation and patience.

In 2019 we served 1,036 residents and collected over 100,000 lbs of hazardous waste! With your help we can keep toxic chemicals out of the waste and watershed!

This program is offered to Ulster County residents at no cost to them. Disposal costs and coordination are paid for by the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency, with the support of grants through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. NYSDEC offers a reimbursement program that provides 50% match for eligible program expenses.

New York State law requires automotive service stations to accept used oil for recycling. Contact your mechanic or auto service station for disposal options.

View Additional Resources about Hazardous Wastes