Sharon Fisher Recycling Coordinator c/o Highway Department 74 Elm Avenue East Selkirk, NY  12158 (518) 439-4955, extension 1510 E-mail:   Hours 8:00 a.m. to noon

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and solvents, unused pesticides and lawn chemicals, as well as properly bagged asbestos, used florescent tubes, and outdated computers and their components.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 The town offers residents the opportunity to dispose of old and outdated electronics such as computers and computer parts, televisions, VCRs, cell phones and telephones.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).

2010 Household Hazardous Waste Collection and Computer Recycling Day Information

Household Hazardous Waste and Computer Recycling Collection Day will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2010, 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 TV Channel 18, Bethlehem’s public access cable station.

Recycling brochure (requires Acrobat Reader)

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

[ Return to TOP ]

FALL ELECTRONIC RECYCLING PROGRAM

Friday, October 1, 2010, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 2, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Bring your old computers and electronics out of the closet and basement.  The opportunity to do the right thing with this equipment is approaching.  How about the VCR or television or telephone that doesn't work anymore?

Many items contain heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury (for instance, see the article, below, regarding compact fluorescent light bulbs).  They should be handled properly and not disposed in a landfill.

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, October 1 between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 2 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.  Items that are acceptable include computers and all their parts, VCRs, televisions, cell phones and telephones.  All cell phones will be donated for emergency services.  Do not bring stereo speakers, vacuums, lights or other electric items.  If you are unsure of any of your items, please contact the Recycling Coordinator.  If you cannot wait for the Fall Electronic Recycling Program or the Spring Household Hazardous Waste Days, please see the article in Recycling News (left), on how to recycle your electronics.

All electronics determined to be unusable will be disposed of in an environmentally safe manner.  Computers that can be serviced will have the hard drive data destroyed and the repaired computer will be redistributed for further use.  The electronic vendor hired for this program will also refurbish radios and televisions that can still be used.  97 % of all non-repairable electronics will be recycled.  Cell phones will be donated to area emergency programs.  Those turning in used cell phones are asked to keep the battery in the phone and include the charger.  Please attach the charger to the phone with a rubber band.  Cell phone recycling is also ongoing.  Cell phones with their batteries and chargers can be dropped off during business hours at the Highway Department or in the box at the information desk in front of the Town Clerk's Office.

Businesses in the Town of Bethlehem may participate in this electronic recycling program, too.  They must pre-register due to regulations and quantities they may wish to turn in for recycling.  Please call 439-4955, extension 1510, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, to pre-register or for all other inquiries.

[ Return to TOP]