Household Chemical Collection & Electronics Recycling Event 2024
VPPSA chemical collection accepts a variety of paints, fuels, solvents, pesticides, automotive products and other chemicals. Collections are open to the residents of Williamsburg, James City County, York County, Hampton and Poquoson. Proof of residency may be required. Residents are asked to remain in their vehicles and staff will come to you for recycling items. Signs will be posted directing you to the drop-off site. Please note: The wait time will vary based on the number of vehicles and the amount of items in each vehicle.
Acceptable Materials are those typically found in a home environment, such as household maintenance and cleaning products, paints, fuels, automotive chemicals, and lawn and garden products.
The following computer items are also accepted at this event: Computers; Desktop and laptop computers, servers, computer monitors, cell phones, computer wiring, desktop printers including multifunction printers or “All in Ones”, fax machines, and desktop photocopiers and scanners. Please note that only the computer items listed will be accepted. Televisions are not accepted.
VPPSA’s Household Chemical Collection & Electronics Recycling Event will take place:
Warhill High School
4615 Opportunity Way, Williamsburg 23188
8:00AM – 12:00 Noon
February 10
April 13
June 8
August 10
October 12
York County
105 Service Drive, Yorktown (off Goodwin Neck Road)
8:00AM – 12:00 Noon
March 9
May 11
July 13
September 14
November 9
For more information including acceptable and unacceptable materials click here or call 757-259-9850
Acceptable Materials are those typically found in a home environment, and include products such as the following:
Household Maintenance: Oil paint, Latex paint, Stains, Solvents, Glue, Varnishes, Adhesives
Automotive: Gasoline and other fuels (less than 50 gallons), Waxes, Gas/oil mixtures, Brake fluid, Engine cleaner (Motor oil and antifreeze are ONLY accepted at events held in the City of Hampton. The remaining communities provide other options, please click HERE for more information.)
Lawn & Garden: Insecticides, Weed killers, Pesticides. Fertilizers, Pest Strips
Household Cleaning: Oven cleaners, Drain cleaners, Floor waxes and cleaners, Metal polishes or jewelry cleaners, Bleach, Degreasers, Septic tank cleaners, toilet cleaners
Miscellaneous: Charcoal fluids, Dyes, Kerosene, Swimming pool chemicals, Photo finishing chemicals, Rechargeable Batteries, Fluorescent Light Bulbs (including CFL’s)
- TVs
- Alkaline Batteries
- Medications
- Business or Medical Waste
- Explosives
- Shock sensitive materials
- Radioactive products
- Large quantities of unknown materials
- Ammunition
- Gun Powder
- Household Trash
- Large drums of material
- If the paint is old and dry, you can leave the lid off and dispose of in your regular trash.
- If the paint is still a liquid, you can add kitty litter or other absorbent material such as sawdust or mulch, and stir it well until it becomes very thick and will not drip or run. Once you’ve done this, you can leave the lid off and dispose of it in your regular trash. Please note: this ONLY APPLIES to latex (water based) paint.
Computer-related items accepted for recycling are limited to the following
- Desktop and laptop computers
- Servers
- Monitors (both LCD and CRT types)
- Computer wiring
- Desktop printers including multi function printers, or “all in ones”
- Fax machines
- Desktop photocopiers and scanners
- Cell phones
Computer Recycling of Virginia (CRVA) has served as the computer equipment recycling contractor since 2001. Data contained in hard drives is destroyed as follows:
- For equipment that may be resold or donated, data is wiped using software that is NIST 800-88 compliant. CRVA provides a “triple pass,” zero fill of the hard drives.
- For all other equipment, the hard drive is physically dismantled and/or shredded.
How to properly dispose of prescriptions and medications
DO NOT flush old medications down the toilet or pour down the sink. According to the director of Fisheries and Habitat Conservation, trace amounts of chemical compounds often associated with medications have been increasingly detected in our waters. Treatment plants are not designed to remove medications from wastewater. Therefore, chemicals disposed of in sinks and toilets can reach the environment unintentionally.
James City County Pharmacies that accept medications:
- The Williamsburg Drug Company (240 McLaws Circle #147, and 1310 Jamestown Road) accepts pill/tablet medications (no creams or liquids) in the original container only. Personal information may be blacked out.
- Walgreens (1309 Richmond Rd) has a Safe Medication Disposal kiosk in the pharmacy waiting area. Prescription and over-the-counter medications are accepted. No illegal drugs, needles, lotions or liquids, inhalers, aerosol cans, thermometers or hydrogen peroxide are accepted.
- Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center (100 Sentara Cir) accepts medications in a metal box in the outpatient pharmacy. No liquids or illegal substances are accepted.
- CVS Pharmacy (7529 Richmond Rd.) has a drug take back unit located in the Pharmacy waiting area. Prescription, over-the-counter and liquid medications are accepted. No illegal drugs, needles, medical devices, batteries, inhalers, aerosol cans, chemicals, or mercury-containing devices are accepted.
- The Prescription Shoppe (5223 Monticello Ave C) has a medsafe medication collection kiosk. No liquids are accepted.
The James City County Police Department partners with the DEA to host two drug take-back events in April and October. The program is anonymous with no questions asked. Prescription solid dosage medications (i.e. tablets and capsules) are accepted. Intra-venous solutions, liquid medications, over-the-counter medications, injectables and needles, illicit substances (i.e., marijuana, methamphetamines, etc.) are NOT accepted. E-cigarettes and vaping devices are only accepted if the batteries have been removed.
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