Sterling, MA
Here’s some junk and trash removal information for all Sterling, MA residents. This drop off center is open to all residents with a permit. The following info was taken from
www.Sterling-MA.gov
The Recycling Center is located at the Department of Public Works building at 171 Worcester Road. They are open Wednesday and Friday 11:00am – 3:00pm and Saturday from 8:00 am to 3:30 am. Closed on holidays.
You must have a Resident Sticker to make use of the Recycling Center.
Accepted Items
Scrap metal, household applicances, lead acid batteries, motor oil, antifreeze, tires, leaves & brush, Christmas trees, fluorescent light bulbs, mercury thermostats & thermometers, TVs, computers and other electronic devices, household batteries, cell phones, furniture, household items, clean clothing and books. Most items are free but we do charge a small fee for some items.
Swap Area
Also located at the center is a Swap Area. You can leave items that you no longer need, but that still have value to others. Books, bicycles, small appliances, etc. have been left for swap. If you see something that you like, take it home! This is a great resource and prevents useful items from finding their way to the landfill.
TV’s and Computer Monitors
CRTs contain lead in the glass and solder used to encase the tube. A computer monitor, for example, contains about four pounds of lead (the exact amount depends on size and make). It is this lead content which raises concern over landfilling or incinerating discarded CRTs.
Electronic devices can contain other hazardous materials such as mercury, and hexavalent chromium in circuit boards, batteries, and color cathode ray tubes (CRTs). Mercury from electronics has been cited as a leading source of mercury in municipal waste.
Mercury
Mercury can cause serious ecological and health problems when released to the environment through human activities. When mercury-containing debris is placed in the trash or poured down the drain, the mercury does not disappear. Mercury does not degrade and is not destroyed by combustion. It cycles between soils, the atmosphere and surface waters. It accumulates in tissue and is toxic. Once mercury is released into the atmosphere, it can travel long distances, settle on soil and wash into lakes and rivers and deposit in the sediments. It finds its way into the environment from waste incinerators, landfills, or wastewater treatment facilities.
Common Mercury-Containing Devices or Material
Thermometers, mercury switches, chemistry kits, older lighted athletic shoes, flame sensors, manometers/barometers, waste dental amalgam, old latex paint (mercury was banned in latex paint in 1990), fluorescent/high density lamps, alkaline batteries. One drop of mercury entering a 20-acre lake annually is enough to elevate the mercury level in fish to a dangerous level! (The average thermometer holds 1-4 drops depending on size!) Thermostats and switches hold 3-4 drops! A manometer holds about 4 tablespoons!
Please bring any mercury containing device down to the recycling center.
Any items that the Sterling center doesn’t take can easily be disposed of by Trash Wizard. Let us do all the heavy lifting and hard work!
