CARMEL, NY—Saturday, April 26, was a busy day for Putnam County residents seeking to preserve the environment. Two popular spring events returned—Household Hazardous Waste Day at Fahnestock State Park in Kent and Medication Take Back Day held at Putnam Hospital Center in Carmel.

Despite foggy, rainy weather, more than 300 Putnam residents turned out for the free, four-hour Household Hazardous Waste Day (HHWD), and the numbers representing the total collected waste are impressive. Approximately 7,200 pounds of aerosols, flammable solids, and pesticide solids; 2,400 cans of latex and oil-based paint; 2,100 gallons of corrosive and flammable liquids, including antifreeze and liquid pesticides; 400 pounds of fluorescent lightbulbs, and 42 pounds of high voltage batteries in total were kept from polluting the environment. These materials are often improperly stored or disposed of, and this event provides an opportunity to safely divert dangerous chemicals from the regular waste stream and to prevent them from ending up in landfills, waterways, and our environment. Because these items can pose health risks for residents, the Putnam County Department of Health organizes free drop-off days in the spring and fall. To get on the mailing list for future HHWD events, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Starting at 10 a.m. the same day and running until 2 p.m., the Medication Take Back event took place at Wagner Cancer Pavillion at Putnam Hospital Center, on Stoneleigh Avenue in Carmel. This free event is presented by Putnam Communities That Care Coalition and Putnam County’s Sheriff’s Office, Putnam Hospital and the Department of Health, to prevent unused medications from falling into the wrong hands or contaminating the environment if flushed down the sink or toilets. More than 240 pounds of prescription, over-the-counter medicines, and pet medications were collected, along with more than 300 pounds of syringes and sharps. More information on these events can be found at the Prevention Council of Putnam’s website at https://preventioncouncilputnam.org/

“These events are essential to protecting both our community’s health and our natural environment,” said Rian Rodriguez, Director of Public Health. “We are grateful to the residents who continue to show up and do their part to keep hazardous materials and unused medications out of our homes, water, and ecosystems.”

County Executive Kevin Byrne added, “Events like these show how strong partnerships between government, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and the community can make a real impact. I’m proud of the leadership shown by our Department of Health and all our partners in helping make Putnam County cleaner, safer, and healthier.”

The mission of the Putnam County Department of Health is to improve and protect the health of the Putnam County community. The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) through 2029, serves a community composed of nearly 100,000 residents. Core services are provided through a lens of equity, and include community health assessment, disease surveillance and control, emergency preparedness, environmental health protection, family health promotion and health education. For more information, please visit the County website at www.putnamcountyny.gov, or visit our social media sites on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram @PutnamHealthNY.