Household Hazardous Waste Day Is Saturday, Nov. 7: What to Bring

Got a garage full of old paint, a shelf of half-used cleaners, or a box of dead electronics? Catawba County’s annual fall household hazardous waste collection is Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at LP Frans Stadium, 2500 Clement Blvd NW in Hickory.

It is free and open to Catawba County residents only. The county warns that volumes are usually high, so be ready to wait. No trailers are allowed, and no business waste is accepted.

What the county says it will take

• Household cleaners such as drain openers, toilet bowl cleaners, oven cleaners, and disinfectants
• Paint products, including latex, oil-based, and spray paint, plus solvents, thinners, varnishes, and sealers
• Automotive products such as car batteries, used motor oil, antifreeze, and brake fluid
• Pesticides and insecticides
• Chemical products such as pool chemicals, household batteries, fluorescent tubes, and grill propane tanks
• Electronics such as computer monitors, intact TVs, laptops, cell phones, microwaves, and printers’ ink and toner cartridges
• Clean styrofoam and packaging foam (not bendable foam, sheet foam, compostable peanuts, or home insulation)

The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office will also collect unwanted medications and prescription drugs. Sharps and needles are not accepted. Bring plastic bags to recycle and you will get a reusable bag from Keep Catawba County Beautiful.

What they will not take

Tires, household garbage, appliances, lawn mowers, weed eaters, explosives, unknown chemicals, and TVs with broken screens are on the no list. Gas cylinders other than grill propane tanks are also out.

Can’t make it on the 7th? The county says paint (no spray cans), electronics, and household batteries are accepted year-round, free, at the Blackburn Landfill, 4017 Rocky Ford Rd in Newton, during regular operating hours.

It is a bit of a drive from Sherrills Ford, Terrell, Monbo, and Long Island, so it may be worth carpooling with a neighbor and splitting the haul. Questions go to Catawba County Utilities and Engineering at (828) 465-8217.

Source: Catawba County Government, “Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event,” published Oct. 14, 2026. Confirm details with the county before you go.