HAMILTON TOWNSHIP — Remember that old can of paint you have sitting in your basement? How about that old clunky computer in the attic? Later this month, you can wave goodbye to those items — safely.

The fourth annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event will be 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 at the Dow Chemical/Americas Styrenics plant on County Road 1A in Hamilton Township.

Sponsored by the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District, Veolia Environmental Services, Dow and Americas Styrenics, the event allows Lawrence and Scioto residents to discard old hazardous waste that is not accepted at area landfills and is otherwise illegally dumped, creating new headaches out of the old hazards.

“We’re already getting phone calls from people wanting to know when it will be,” Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste Management District Director Dan Palmer said. “You’d be surprised how many calls we’re getting.”

New this year: The collection event will include disposal of unwanted or old pharmaceuticals — prescription and over-the-counter medicines. The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office will have a deputy on hand to ensure the medicines are disposed of immediately and properly.

“Certainly we’re pleased they’re handling it in this manner. This will give people an opportunity to dispose of medicines and at the same time keeps drugs off the streets and out of our waterways. One of the problems with old medicines is that people who want to get rid of them often flush them down the sink and then the drugs get into our waterways,” Sheriff Jeff Lawless said.

Other items that will be accepted include old car tires (limit 6 per person, tires must be off the rim), lead acid batteries, electronics such as cell phones, computer keyboards and monitors, used anti-freeze, paint, paint thinner and solvents, pesticides and herbicides and swimming pool chemicals.

Items that will not be accepted include, explosives, ammunition, household trash, medical waste, yard waste, heating oil tanks, fuel tanks, televisions and other appliances.

Solid waste officials stress that chemicals should not be mixed together.

Be prepared to leave the containers the waste is stored in.

Participants will be asked to provide proof of residency. They do not have to leave their cars; the unwanted items will be unloaded for them by waste collection event staff.

Businesses are not permitted to participate.

Last year, 128 residents discarded their old hazardous waste; 85 of those were Lawrence Countians.

During the event, 4,000 pounds of paint-related materials were collected, along with 25 batteries, 832 tires, 800 pounds of aerosols, 1,600 pounds of oil, 5,000 pounds of latex paint, 2,650 pounds of flammable liquids, 1,000 pounds of toxic solids, 5 pounds of fluorescent bulbs, and 2,000 pounds of adhesives, tars and driveway sealers.

To get to the plant exit at the County Road 1-A exit and follow the signs.

For more information call the SWMD office at 532-1231.