Forsyth County sets May 2 hazardous waste collection at Freedom Park

Forsyth County residents will get one of the county’s clearest chances this spring to clear out hazardous clutter before it turns into a fire or water-quality problem: a Household Hazardous Waste Recycling and Disposal event is set for Saturday, May 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Freedom Park campus lot, 2435 Freedom Parkway in Cumming.

Online pre-registration opens at 9 a.m. Monday, April 13, and the county says spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis until the maximum number of vehicles is reached. The event is limited to Forsyth County residents and accepts only residential household hazardous waste.

Accepted items include paints, electronics, cleaners, oils, fuels, batteries, fluorescent or HID light bulbs, herbicides and pesticides. The county will not take medical waste, needles, ammunition, explosives, pharmaceuticals or non-hazardous items. Paint is capped at 10 gallons per vehicle.

The collection is being run through Keep Forsyth County Beautiful, the Forsyth County Department of Recycling & Solid Waste and the City of Cumming. There is no charge to drop off material, though the county suggests a minimum $5 donation to support Keep Forsyth County Beautiful.

The public-service value is straightforward: products stored in garages, sheds and utility closets can become dangerous if they are tossed with regular trash. Paint, fuels, batteries and cleaners can create fire risks, release toxic materials and contribute to contamination if they reach landfills or local waterways. Forsyth County’s Recycling & Solid Waste Department says it is charged with managing waste in an environmentally sound, cost-effective, socially responsible and safe manner, and this event is designed to fit that mission on a single busy Saturday.

Tammy Keaton, the county’s environmental program manager, has said everyday products can pose real danger if they are disposed of carelessly, underscoring why the county keeps offering the drop-off twice a year. Forsyth County has held similar household hazardous waste events in 2023, 2024 and 2025, but the 2026 spring collection moves to Freedom Park after 2025 events were held at Cumming Fairgrounds parking lot 3.

For residents who miss the May 2 window, the county’s three public convenience centers remain open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those sites accept some items for a fee, including electronics, paint and tires. That makes the Freedom Park event the county’s most direct no-cost option for getting dangerous household materials out of storage and into the proper disposal stream before summer use around homes, workshops and yards begins.