New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today that DEC will hold its summer CleanSweepNY collection program in Queens and Suffolk counties from July 19 – 21, 2022. CleanSweepNY provides an opportunity for New Yorkers to dispose of unwanted and/or obsolete pesticides and chemicals, including elemental mercury, as part of the statewide effort to provide a healthy and sustainable New York. Additionally, empty, triple-rinsed HDPE-2 plastic pesticide containers will be collected and recycled.

CleanSweepNY services are available to agricultural and non-agricultural professional pesticide applicators, schools, and certain businesses that use pesticides such as golf courses, cemeteries, and marinas. Homeowners cannot participate, however information about reducing and disposing of household hazardous waste is available on DEC's website.

Pre-registration is required to participate in CleanSweepNY. A registration form can be requested by calling 518-225-8146 or emailing cleansweep@dec.ny.gov. No registrations will be accepted after July 11, 2022. Participants will be sent CleanSweepNY information which will include drop-off date, drop-off time, and location.

Collection events are scheduled in July on the dates and locations below:

Tuesday, July 19, 2022 - Queens
Wednesday, July 20, 2022 - Melville
Thursday, July 21, 2022 - Riverhead

CleanSweepNY is organized by DEC with the collaboration of New York State Department of Transportation and New York City Parks, which generously provide sites for the chemical collection. CleanSweepNY outreach is aided by Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Agricultural Container Recycling Council, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, New York Farm Bureau, and other related grower associations.

Since the CleanSweepNY program's inception in 2002, more than three million pounds of chemical wastes have been collected across New York State, as well as more than 910 pounds of liquid elemental mercury. Approximately 6,500 plastic pesticide containers, including many 55- and 30-gallon triple-rinsed pesticide drums, which would otherwise have been disposed of in landfills, have been collected and properly recycled.

For more information on CleanSweepNY, visit http://www.cleansweepny.org.