The homeowner- and renter-focused community waste collection on Saturday, March 25 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm takes place at Lancaster County Courthouse (8265 Mary Ball Rd, Lancaster in the parking lot).
Items which can be dropped off:
- Household chemicals such as oil-based paint, cleaners, solvents, old or used petroleum products (including mower and boat gas), pool chemicals, and pesticides
- Used florescent and CFL bulbs
- Electronic items such as vape pens, TVs, printers, computers, monitors, and cell phones
Items which cannot be dropped off:
- Ammunition
- Radioactive materials
- Tires
- Car batteries
- Medical waste
- Prescription drugs (see below)
- Latex paint (latex paint does not present a danger to the environment and can be safely disposed of once the paint has dried in the can)
There is no charge to residents to dispose of these items, however the collection is limited to Lancaster County residents and property owners only.
Print or share the flyer (PDF).
Event sponsors are the Northern Neck Soil and Water Conservation District (NNSWCD), Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE), and Lancaster County.
Questions? Contact the Lancaster County office of Virginia Cooperative Extension at (804) 462-5780. For information on other upcoming HHW/E-Waste events on the Northern Neck, contact NNSWCD’s Kelly Brann at (804) 313-9102, x105.
Historical data
Between 2009 and 2021, the public dropped off 218,802 pounds of hazardous household waste and 107,196 pounds of e-waste as part of Lancaster County’s drives. As the table on the right shows, there’s generally been an upward trajectory of HHW disposal. In 2020 and 2021, disposal topped 20,000 pounds in the fall drives. One possible reason for the increase between the fall 2019 collection of 10,614 pounds total and the fall of 2020 of 40,919 pounds total is the 12-month gap between collections. Another reason is that the pandemic had people staying at home, cleaning, purging, and renovating inside and out.
Disposing of prescription drugs
The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office collects and properly disposes of prescription drugs. The service is free and anonymous. The SO only accepts pills. To dispose of them, talk to a communications officer when you enter the building (8293 Mary Ball Road Lancaster), show them what you have (they need to make sure there is no liquid or sharps), and they’ll take them from there. So they see you, but they don’t ask for any personal information.
Disposing of prescription drugs in this way is good for people, pets, and the environment. Questions about the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office prescription drug disposal program? Call the office, (804) 462-5111.