Dan Rain Recycling Coordinator c/o Highway Department 74 Elm Avenue East Selkirk, NY  12158 (518) 439-4955, extension 1510 E-mail:   Hours 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY 

Each spring, the Town of Bethlehem holds a household hazardous waste (HHW) and computer recycling collection day. Residents can bring unwanted paints, thinners, and solvents, unused pesticides and lawn chemicals, as well as properly bagged asbestos, used florescent tubes, and outdated computers and their components.  Each fall an electronic collection day is held. The town offers residents the opportunity to dispose of old and outdated electronics such as computers and computer parts, televisions, VCRs, cell phones and telephones.  All unusable electronics collected will be recycled in an environmentally safe manner.  Computers found to be serviceable will be donated locally for minor repairs and redistributed for further use.  Cell phones will be given to an area emergency program.  People turning in old cell phones are asked to keep the battery on the phone and include the charger, if available; attach the charger to the phone with a rubber band.  Both of these special collections are held at the Highway Department Garage Facility (address listed above).

What if you missed the HHW Collection?

2011 Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Computer Recycling Day Information

Household Hazardous Waste and Computer Recycling Collection Day will take place on Saturday, May 7, 2011, 8:00am to 1:00pm at the Town Highway Garage, 74 Elm Avenue East, Selkirk.

Residents who attend this program must bring proof of residency such as a driver’s license or current tax bill.  Please make sure all lids are secure and cans and bottles or containers are in boxes to prevent spills.  Do not smoke near chemicals or leave these products in a hot, unventilated vehicle for an extended period of time.

For your safety please remain in your vehicle.  Workers will unload the wastes.  See the Spring Cleanup Brochure for complete instructions.

The town has a Donating Reusables Brochure listing organizations that welcome donations of good reusable appliances, furniture, clothing, books, toys, eyeglasses and hearing aids.  Copies of the brochure are available at all town facilities or by clicking here.  

Proper disposal of home “sharps” (needles, syringes, and lancets) is available through St. Peter's Hospital  (525-1163), Albany County Nursing Home (869-2231 x240) or Albany Medical Center (262-8000).

For up-to-date recycling and waste reduction information, watch for articles and advertisements in the Spotlight and News Herald newspapers and on Channel 18 (Bethlehem Community Network Television, BCN-TV), Bethlehem’s public access cable station.

Recycling brochure (requires Acrobat Reader)

If you do not have Acrobat Reader, you may download it here

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FALL ELECTRONICS RECYCLING PROGRAM

Friday, September 23, 2011, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and
Saturday, September 24, 2011, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Bring your old computers, TVs, and other electronics out of the basement, as the opportunity to do the right thing with this equipment is approaching.

Town of Bethlehem residents and pre-registered businesses can bring their obsolete electronics to the Highway Garage, 74 Elm Avenue East, Selkirk, NY on Friday, September 23 between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and Saturday, September 24 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.  Accepted items include televisions, computers, monitors, computer peripherals (printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, cables, etc.), VCRs, DVD players, stereos/radios, video game consoles, fax machines, portable digital music players, cell phones and telephones. Do not bring stereo speakers, vacuums, lights or other electric items or household appliances. 

Why recycle electronics? Many of these items contain heavy metals and other toxics that should be kept out of the landfill. They also contain valuable metals and other materials that should be reclaimed.

What happens to your old electronics? Our electronics recycling company, RCR&R out of Victor, NY is able to refurbish and resell a good percentage of electronics, and recycle about 97% of the other materials. (Computers that can be refurbished will have the hard drive data destroyed prior to resale; RCR&R is a NAID Certified & Licensed New York State Data Destruction Contractor. No electronic scrap is shipped overseas).

NOTE:  In addition to the Fall and Spring Electronics Recycling Collection Days, electronics recycling is on-going throughout the year at our Rupert Road Transfer Station.

Businesses in the Town of Bethlehem may participate for FREE as well, but must pre-register. Please call 439-4955, extension 1510, Monday through Friday (except Wed.) from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to pre-register or for more info.

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PHARMACEUTICAL COLLECTION PROGRAM

Friday, October 21, 2011, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Elm Avenue Town Park, Parking Lot by the Pool Complex

printable flyer

The Town of Bethlehem Sanitation/Recycling and Senior Services Departments are pleased to announce the Town’s first ever Pharmaceutical Collection event! This event is co-sponsored by Bethlehem Senior Projects, Inc. and Four Corners Pharmacy in Delmar.  

The program is anonymous, and accepted items include prescription and over the counter medications in pill, powder and liquid form. Please leave medications in their original containers and place in a bag or box. You may black out personal information with a permanent marker; though all medications will be kept secure in the custody of a Town of Bethlehem police officer, and disposed of by incineration at a waste-to-energy facility under the officer's supervision.  

Intravenous solutions, injectables, and needles will not be accepted (for more information on safe sharps disposal, please visit the Recycling Frequently Asked Questions web page.)  

Why participate? Medications, if not properly disposed of, can fall into the wrong hands and endanger human health and our communities. If flushed down the drain or otherwise improperly discarded, they can also pollute drinking water and the environment, and further compromise human health. As one example, a nationwide study conducted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) found low levels of drugs such as antibiotics, hormones, contraceptives and steroids in 80% of the rivers and streams tested. Some health and beauty products also contain substances which are harmful to water supplies and the environment.  

What if you can’t make the collection event? There is a National Take Back Initiative - Pharmaceutical Collection Event, Saturday, October 29, 2011 from 10 am - 2 pm at Crossgates Mall, Albany (in the parking lot across from Border's/Ruby Tuesday's). The program is anonymous, and accepted items include prescription and over the counter solid dosage medications, i.e. tablets and capsules. Intravenous solutions, injectables, and needles will not be accepted. Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative.

Or, to dispose of pharmaceuticals safely at home: 1) Mix with something undesirable to ingest such as cat litter, dirt, or coffee grounds, 2) Tape containers closed, 3) Toss in your household garbage. NEVER flush medications down the toilet or other drains.  

For more information about medication disposal, visit www.dontflushyourdrugs.net or call the Town Recycling Coordinator at 439-4955 ext. 1510.

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WNYT ELECTRONICS AND ROOM AIR CONDITIONER COLLECTION DAY

Saturday, April 23, 2011
7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

An Electronics and Room Air Conditioner Collection will be held at Taft Furniture, 1960 Central Avenue, 1 mile west of Route 155.  (Click here for a printable flyer.)

WHAT IS ACCEPTED:

Computers and Computer parts and peripherals, Televisions, Telephones, VCR/DVD/CD players, Room Air Conditioners*, Radios, PDAs (such as Blackberries, Palm Pilots, etc.), Calculators, Hand Held Games, Game Consoles


PLEASE DO NOT BRING THESE ITEMS:
NO Small Consumer Appliances • NO Boxes or Form Packaging
NO Batteries or Fluids • NO Computer software, CDs, disks
NO Computer manuals or mouse pads • NO Fans, Vacuums, Lights

FREE: A voluntary donation to the ALS Center  in Albany ($2 suggested per vehicle) is requested of event attendees. NOTE: NO COUPONS ARE NEEDED THIS YEAR

*Air Conditioners will cost $15.00 each for recycling. There is no fee for other items.


HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

• Please stay in your vehicle when volunteers remove items.

• NOTE: This program will end at 1:00 pm sharp.



The 8th Annual Capital Region Electronic and Room Air Conditioner Collection is being sponsored by WNYT, Maven Technologies, LLC., Interstate Refrigerant Recovery,
NYS DEC, NYSAR3, and other volunteers.

MORE INFORMATION ON www.wnyt.com
or email safrecycle@hotmail.com or Jhodgens@wnyt.com


*NOTE: Event proceeds benefit the ALS Center in Albany this year. As many of you know, Sharon Fisher organized and ran the WNYT electronic collection event as a volunteer for many years. She served as Recycling Coordinator for the Town of Bethlehem for 20 years, and retired last year due to health issues related to ALS, so it's particularly fitting that this event benefits the ALS Center. Please volunteer, and spread the word to help make this year's event successful!
 

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