E-CARE Recycling Drop-off Day Returns at Full Strength on October 9

Published on September 30, 2021

E-CARE, Arlington's big clean-out and drop-off Saturday, takes place this fall on Saturday, Oct. 9, at 1425 N. Quincy St., across from Washington-Liberty High School and the David M. Brown Planetarium.

The free, biannual Environmental Collection and Recycling Event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine.

No E-CARE was held in 2020 for COVID-19 safety. This spring, a scaled-down version still collected almost 95 thousand pounds of household hazardous materials (HHM) and 26 thousand pounds of used electronics, dropped off by 1,870 Arlington residents, a new record.

Returning for the first time since 2019, the group Bikes for the World will take bicycle donations for use as basic transportation overseas. Also, back for Oct. 9: a special collection area dedicated to metal item recycling.

COVID-19 precautions will be in place during Fall E-CARE 2021, with participants urged to wear masks and stay in their vehicles while crews unload materials like paint, pesticides, motor oil and solvents; devices containing mercury; fluorescent bulbs; plus, electronics, batteries, fire extinguishers and propane tanks.

The full, extensive list of accepted items is available on the County website.

Arlington residents are encouraged to coordinate with neighbors on combining loads to cut down the number of trips to the E-CARE site. Vehicles should be packed in reverse order of drop-off: Metal, HHM and electronics going in first, bicycles last.

Place HHM and electronics in separate cardboard boxes for easy handling and to prevent spills. The cardboard will be recycled.

E-CARE drop-off is offered exclusively to Arlington residents. Expect proof of address to be requested at check-in.

Commercial waste will not be accepted.