By Michael Hartwell

Saturday mornings in Maine are known for attracting local socialites and homeowners to the town dump. Now known as a transfer station, these trash-collecting sites are a great place to pick up local gossip while dropping off old unwanted goods.

However, sometimes people find themselves stuck with things so unwanted even the transfer station won’t take them.

“A lot of towns don’t take paint,” Peter Thoits offered as an example. He is the chairman of the Gray Solid Waste and Recycling Committee and he said that’s why Gray has its annual collection for household hazardous waste materials, where last weekend residents jettisoned unwanted toxic, poisonous, flammable, corrosive or reactive materials.

“This collection is the primary means for resident to safely and legally get rid of materials that, if thrown into the trash or illegally dumped, could pose a significant hazard to land and aquifers we rely on,” said Thoits. “Very often at these collections we receive hazardous materials in corroded containers which, if left to rust, would seep the materials into the buildings, grounds, and waters in or near where they are stored.”

The municipal governments of New Gloucester, North Yarmouth and Pownal have also participated in the program for the past four years. This year Raymond joined the ranks. Residents of any of the five towns only needed to show proof of residency and they were able to drop off their unwanted chemicals on Aug. 23 at the Gray transfer station on Seagull Drive behind the public safety building.

Kathy Dilios of Gray said she just cleaned out her basement and came

up with some paint, antifreeze and an oil-based stain.

“I just had it for a long time,” she said.

“You save it up is what you do, because you forget it,” said Bruce Crockett of North Yarmouth. He was also throwing out old cans of paint.

Residents formed a line with their cars and employees of Environmental Projects Incorporated of Auburn removed the materials from their vehicles and separated the materials into large metal and plastic drums. Residents were required to stay in their cars for insurance purposes.

Dennis Frye, 60, of Raymond was dropping off some old paint cans. He said he’s lived in his house for more than 20 years and has painted it three times.

“We tend to overestimate how much we’ll need,” he said.

Don Richardson of Gray was disposing of the pesticide chlordane.
“They outlawed it in the 1980s,” said Richardson, who lives on Crystal Lake. In 1983, it was banned in America for everything but termites. In 1988, it was banned for that too.

Richardson said he bought it a long time ago to protect his lawn and garden, as well as kill termites.

“That’s a no-no around the lake,” said Richardson.

Harriette Snow of Pownal had an insecticide she referred to as “blueberry poison” in the back of her vehicle.

“Mother used to have a blueberry field 30 years ago and it’s been sitting around,” said Snow. She said the field is now overgrown and she has no more use for the bug killer.

Kim O’Connell of North Yarmouth was tossing out some motor oil and deck cleaner and other things she said she never bought.

“We just bought a house and the previous owners left pesticides and stuff,” said O’Connell.

Robert and Arlene Litchfield of Pownal were dropping off some 30-year-old oil paint, garden chemicals and a bucket