Household Toxics Drop-off

There are many household items, from automotive products to paint, that shouldn’t go in the trash or down the drain. Learn how to properly manage them and protect our environment.

What products do you have?

I HAVE…	Paint Items ONLY (including latex and oil-based paints, primers, stains, sealers, shellacs, varnishes, etc.)	Household Toxics ONLY (NOT including Paint Items).	Household Toxics AND Paint Items
ACCEPTABLE ITEMS	Acceptable paint items.	Acceptable toxic items.	Acceptable paint items. Acceptable toxic items.
LOCATION	There are multiple locations that accept these items at no cost. Find the PaintCare location closest to you. Household and business materials accepted.	OCRRA sponsors a free drop-off program for residents with household items at Miller Environmental Group. No business materials are accepted.	OCRRA sponsors a free drop-off program for residents with household items at Miller Environmental Group. No business materials (toxics) are accepted.
APPOINTMENT REQUIRED?	No. Hours and requirements vary by location.	Yes, make an appointment.	Yes, make an appointment.

PAINT ITEMS ONLY
New York now has a program, PaintCare, that makes recycling unwanted paints and paint products even easier by offering more free drop-off locations.

The PaintCare program is free and open to all residents and businesses in Onondaga County. Up to 5 gallons accepted per visit (some locations take more).

If you are only dropping off paint, stain, waterproofing or other accepted PaintCare products, visit any PaintCare drop-off site.  Each site has its own hours and volume limits, but all drop offs are free of charge. Find the location closest to you and follow instructions for that site. For questions about PaintCare, call 1-855-PAINT09 (1-855-724-6809) or email [email protected].

HOUSEHOLD TOXICS ONLY (Excludes PaintCare Items)
If you only have items on the household toxics list, make a free drop-off appointment through OCRRA to bring them to Miller Environmental (off Hiawatha Blvd.), between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm on Monday, Thursday or Friday, year-round. You’ll receive instructions in your appointment confirmation email on how to prepare your items and where to bring them.

Please wait until you have at least a box full of toxics ready for drop off before making an appointment. This program is free to residents, however, OCRRA pays a flat fee for each appointment, regardless of the number of household toxics you bring in. Help keep costs down by bringing items in bulk, so that we can continue to offer this essential service at no charge.

Ask friends or neighbors if they have items you can bring in for them. While you collect them, store items in a safe area, away from children and pets.

Business materials are not accepted under OCRRA’s household toxics program. Residents of the Town and Village of Skaneateles are NOT eligible for this program as they are not part of the OCRRA service area.

Make an Appointment

HOUSEHOLD TOXICS + PAINT ITEMS
Dropping off household toxics and paint items? If you have both household toxics and PaintCare items, make a free drop-off appointment through OCRRA to bring them to Miller Environmental (off Hiawatha Blvd.), between 8:00 am and 3:00 pm on Monday, Thursday or Friday, year-round. You’ll receive instructions in your appointment confirmation email on how to prepare your items and where to bring them.

Please wait until you have at least a box full of toxics ready for drop off before making an appointment. This program is free to residents, however, OCRRA pays a flat fee for each appointment, regardless of the number of household toxics you bring in. Help keep costs down by bringing items in bulk, so that we can continue to offer this essential service at no charge.

Ask friends or neighbors if they have items you can bring in for them. While you collect them, store items in a safe area, away from children and pets.

Business materials (toxics) are not accepted under OCRRA’s household toxics program. Residents of the Town and Village of Skaneateles are NOT eligible for the toxics program as they are not part of the OCRRA service area.

Make an Appointment

• Interior and exterior architectural paints: latex, acrylic, water-based, alkyd, oil-based, enamel (including textured coatings)
• Deck coatings, floor paints (including elastomeric)
• Primers, sealers, undercoaters
• Stains
• Shellacs, lacquers, varnishes, urethanes (single component)
• Waterproofing concrete/masonry/wood sealers and repellents (not tar or bitumen-based)
• Metal coatings, rust preventatives
• Field and lawn paints

Containers that are leaking or empty, and containers without the original printed manufacturer’s label are not accepted. If you do not see your paint-related item listed here, contact PaintCare at 1-855-PAINT09 (1-855-724-6809) or [email protected] to see if it is acceptable. If your item is not a PaintCare accepted item, check the household toxics accepted list below to see if you need to make an OCRRA household toxics drop-off appointment.

*These items are acceptable if brought in with other materials. They can also be managed outside this program. Click the links above for year-round options that do not require making a household hazardous waste appointment.

Search OCRRA's list to find the right way to get rid of household toxics we do not accept.
» Searchable List

The costs associated with OCRRA's household toxics program are underwritten by OCRRA and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.