Residents should be aware of new guidelines and regulations regarding the disposal of some household items.
Oil-based paint, for example, needs to be brought to hazardous waste collection site.
Associate Engineer Paul Kranz of the County Environment and Planning Department says latex paint can be thrown into the garbage tote, as long as the owner dries it out.
"Plastic line a cardboard box with a garbage bag, fill the bag with kitty litter and pour the paint in the kitty litter. That speeds the drying process. Because they're water-based paints, they're non-hazardous," Kranz said.
"We're trying to make sure with the limited funds we have for the program that we address the items that do have the potential for contamination."
Electronic equipment is now collected under a mandated state law so it has some value.
Local governments like Buffalo and Amherst are selling the equipment which used to be thrown away.
Erie County will hold a hazardous waste collection day May 12 at ECC North.
