Kenton County residents can drop off old electronics, car fluids, batteries and other hazardous household items for free on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Thomas More Stadium in Florence.

The annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the stadium, located at 7950 Freedom Way. The event is open to Boone, Campbell and Kenton county residents, according to Sanitation District 1 of Northern Kentucky on X.

Registration is required before attending. Residents must print and complete the registration form at nkyhhw.org before attending and bring it to the event, according to a notice from the city of Covington. The Lakeside Park city government also posted the event on its website.

The Northern Kentucky Solid Waste Management Area (NKSWMA) organizes the collection each year. The Kentucky Division of Waste Management sponsors it, according to the Covington notice.

What's accepted

The event takes a wide range of items, including electronics such as TVs, laptops, cell phones and printers (limit of two TVs), along with oil-based paint (limit of 10 cans), aerosol cans, household cleaners, pesticides, corrosives, automotive fluids and fuels, fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, light bulbs, e-cigarettes and batteries.

The NKSWMA's collection page describes "mixed electronics" as "anything that takes a battery or has a cord." Small kitchen appliances are accepted as mixed electronics; large appliances such as refrigerators are not.

Lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lead-acid batteries are accepted. Standard alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D, 9V) are not. Those are safe for regular household trash, according to the NKSWMA.

What's not accepted

Residents should leave behind latex paint, appliances, fertilizer, medications, tires, ammunition, explosives and radioactive materials, according to the Covington notice. Commercial-grade gases such as acetylene are also excluded.

Latex paint is water-based and not considered hazardous, according to the NKSWMA. It can be dried out and placed in regular trash with the lid off.

Household hazardous waste that ends up in storm sewers, drains or landfills can contaminate soil, groundwater and surface water, according to the NKSWMA's information page. Improperly discarded lithium-ion batteries and devices containing them can cause fires in garbage trucks, recycling facilities and landfills.

Electronics and batteries, general hazardous chemicals, and car fluids are the three most common categories brought to the annual event, according to the NKSWMA.

Kenton County Solid Waste Coordinator Melissa Grandstaff can answer questions at [email protected] or 859-392-1919.

Upcoming community dates

  • Saturday, Oct. 31: Trick-or-treat hours across Kenton County communities
  • Saturday, Nov. 7: Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thomas More Stadium, Florence. Register at nkyhhw.org.