The annual Household Hazardous Waste collection events for Franklin County residents are scheduled for September. 

Residents may dispose of their toxic and hazardous wastes at the following locations:

* Kingfield: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, Transfer Station, 304 Lexington Road.

* Carrabassett Valley:  9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 8, Transfer Station, 4056 Carrabassett Drive.

* Rangeley: 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, Transfer Station, 682 Loon Lake Road.

* Wilton: 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, Transfer Station, 211 Munson Road.

* Jay: 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, Recycling and Transfer Facility, 672 Main St.

The collections are part of the ongoing Western Maine Environmental Depot Collection Program run by Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments in conjunction with municipalities in the AVCOG region and a private, qualified contractor.

“Hazardous substances such as oil-based paints, pesticides and old gasoline can cause significant environmental, health and safety problems if not properly disposed or even if left around the house. This is one of the few places in the state where residents can safely get rid of them,” Ferg Lea, an environmental engineer at AVCOG, said.

Residents may also take their hazardous waste to the Environmental Depot at the Lewiston Solid Waste Facility at 424 River Road. It is open from 8 a.m. to noon the first and third Saturdays of each month, except for three-day holiday weekends, May through November. 

The facility accepts materials from residents from participating municipalities, which are most of the municipalities throughout Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties, at no charge. Residents from other communities can bring waste to the Depot at a cost of $28 per five gallons. 

AVCOG operates the program in conjunction with EPI, a licensed hazardous waste hauler that ships wastes to a variety of out-of-state recycling and disposal locations for proper handling. 

For a list of participating communities or for more information, visit their website at www.avcog.org (Household Hazardous Waste underMunicipal Services) or call 783-9186.