fmaceachern@wiltonvillager.com

WILTON — It's a sight which brings joy to the heart of a person committed to the environment: trucks and cars weighed down with half-empty paint cans, nail polish remover, brake fluid and half-full aerosol cans, rolling by on collection day.

"I am surprised and delighted by contractors who come in with a truckload of half-empty paint cans, often their trucks are just jammed full," said David Hapke. "There are also homeowners with cars bulging who say: 'I'm finally getting around to doing it right,' " said Hapke, who is chairman of Wilton's Conservation Commission.

Wilton isn't having its collection day until Oct. 25, but town officials are urging residents to start collecting those materials around their homes instead of tossing them into the regular garbage.

But Wiltonians can get rid of that material earlier by going to neighboring communities during their collection days, said Michael Conklin, environmental analyst with Wilton's Department of Conservation and Environmental Affairs.

The first one in Fairfield County is Saturday, April 26, in Weston and local residents are able to take their material there, said Conklin. There is no charge to dispose of the materials in any of the towns, he said.

It's the 19th year the days has been offered for local residents and Conklin said it's a popular event as people learn about the hazardous materials they use and store in their homes every day. He estimated about 15 percent of town residents take advantage of the day and he's hoping that number will increase in coming years. Ensuring the materials are safely disposed of means there is less chance they will pollute the environment, said Conklin.

"It really makes a difference in helping prevent them from going into the Norwalk River," he said.

Hapke agreed with Conklin on the importance of preventing paints, oils and solvents from leaking into the river. They also pose a threat to individual homeowners, he said.

"The landfills of the last 50 years are starting to leech and those materials are starting to make its way into the groundwater. That's important here in Wilton because so many people uses wells," said Hapke.

Among the other items which are allowed to be dropped off at the collection day are antifreeze, bathroom cleaners, hair dyes and sprays, photo chemicals, household batteries, varnish and shellac.

Among the materials not to take are ammunition and explosives, empty paint cans, materials containing PCB's and asbestos, electronics, radioactive materials, motor oil and car batteries, medical and biological waste and compressor gas and propane cylinders.

"The challenge for us is to educate people on the obvious ones such as paints and oil thinners. It's also important to educate people on the less obvious ones like nail polish remover," said Hapke.

There will be a separate day for electronics drop-off in Wilton, said Conklin.

For Hapke the day is just another step to ensure good stewardship of nature, something he has tried to live.

"I love nature. I love the outdoors. I don't know how it started but it's one those things where you notice coffee cups on the ground," said Hapke.