The Peru Gazette

More than 645,500 Pounds of Chemicals, Pesticides, Paint, Oil, Flammable Liquids, and Other Hazardous Materials Collected During 2025

Albany, DEC News Release of Dec. 29, 2025 – New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced another record-breaking year for the CleanSweepNY program. More than 645,500 pounds of chemicals, including pesticides, paint, oil, flammable and nonflammable liquids, and other hazardous materials, were collected during 2025—the highest amount in the program’s 23-year history and an overall increase of 9.3% from the previous record collection year.

“Programs like DEC’s CleanSweepNY continue to help discard unwanted or expired chemicals and pesticides while protecting public health and the environment,” said Commissioner Lefton. “Thanks to the continued support from Governor Hochul and investments from the Environmental Protection Fund, 2025 was another record-setting year for the CleanSweepNY program, with 343 participants disposing of more than 645,000 pounds of chemicals and helping support a toxic-free future for New York State.”

CleanSweepNY helps promote a healthy and sustainable New York State by providing opportunities for proper disposal of unwanted and/or obsolete pesticides, including herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, disinfectants, sanitizers, and antifoulants, as well as other covered wastes, including fertilizers, paint, primers, among others. These services are provided without cost to farmers, licensed pesticide applicators, municipalities, city and county agencies, colleges, pesticide businesses, and garden centers. The program was established by DEC in 2002 to promote proper waste separation and disposal practices of these potentially harmful chemicals, which may otherwise have been disposed of in landfills or other inappropriate ways, in order to reduce the potential for negative impacts to human health or the environment.

During 2025, the following materials were collected by DEC for safe disposal:

• 194,001 linear feet (36.7 miles) of light bulbs;
• 3,164 aerosol containers;
• 251,027 pounds of pesticides;
• 168,142 pounds of paint –
• 105,136 pounds of paint diverted to PaintCare for recycling. Learn more about paint recycling on DEC’s website;
• 28,430 pounds of motor oil;
• 117,587 pounds of flammable liquids (hand sanitizers, gasoline, etc.); and
• 73,717 pounds of nonflammable liquids (antifreeze, etc.).