Above: If you’ve been looking forward to Household Hazardous Waste Day to clean out your garage/shed, prepare to load up your car/truck and head to the Transfer Station a week from Saturday. But note the event limitations. (photo by Beth Melo)
Southborough’s annual day for residents to rid themselves of “Household Hazardous Waste” is a week from tomorrow. While disposing of the specified items is free, the event is limited to those who have current, valid Transfer Station permit stickers.
[Note: If you don’t have a current permit for using the Transfer Station, click here for details on getting one.]
From 9:00 am – noon on October 25th, bring your related items to the Public Works Garage down the hill from the Transfer Station. (Not the hopper!)
The disposal day is combined with an electronic recycling event for TVs and computer monitors. That isn’t free. Scroll down for fee details (or click on flyer right.)
Not every hazardous item is welcome under the Household Hazardous Waste day.
The event will not accept Latex paint and Alkaline batteries. That’s because they are on the non-hazardous list of materials accepted as regular waste you can toss in the hopper. (Though, according to Transfer Station rules, the latex paint must be dry first. The state recommends drying wet paint by adding kitty litter or sand to the can. It also asks for the can lids to be removed before disposing. And they provide this helpful guide on battery disposal/recycling.)
Other items not accepted (and which are too hazardous to dump in the hopper) are:
Gas Cylinders, Explosive Materials, Motor Oil, Radioactive Materials, Infectious and Biological Wastes, Prescription Medicines/Syringes, Esters, Unknown Materials, Full Drums, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Asbestos, Medical Waste, Shock Sensitive Materials and Reactive Chemicals
[Note: You can dispose of Prescription Medicines/Syringes in the dedicated container in the Public Safety Building lobby at 32 Cordaville Road, just down the street.]
If you are seeking info on where you can dispose of items that aren’t accepted, you may be able to find helpful info here.
For a reminder of what items are allowed during normal Transfer Station hours, click here for the rules.
As for the hazardous items you can dispose of that day, the flyer lists:
From the Yard:
- Pesticides
- Insect Sprays
- Rodent Killers
- Pool Chemicals
- Muriatic Acid
- No-Pest Strips
- Lead sinkers, flashing Creosote
From the Garage:
- Auto Batteries
- Antifreeze
- Brake Fluid
- Wax & Polish
- Engine Degreasers
- Carburetor Cleaner
From the Workbench:
- Rust Remover
- Wood Preservatives
- Paint Thinners
- Oil Based Paints
- Solvents
- Degreasers
From the House:
- Drain & Oven Cleaners
- Furniture Polish
- Metal Polish
- Photo Chemicals
Electronic Recycling
Below are the details on the electronic recycling you can do at the same time and place:
TVs and Computer Monitors will be accepted for a Fee — but only by checks, made out as payable to Veolia.
- up to 25″ = $20
- over 25″ = $30
Updated (10/18/25 2:44 pm) I accidentally had the 19th (last year’s date) in the story text. As stated in the headline, it’s the 25th. (Which, as I noted in the story, is next weekend – not this weekend.)
