Newport Releases 2026 Schedule for Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events

Gasoline in a garage, old pesticides in a shed, paint thinner from a renovation project two years ago: if those containers are still sitting around and you toss them in the regular trash, you could be looking at a fire at the transfer station, contaminated groundwater, or a citation under New Hampshire's solid waste rules. Newport's Public Works Department published its 2026 Household Hazardous Waste collection schedule on April 1, giving residents a practical way out.

The bigger news buried in that schedule is Newport's turn to host. The town operates its own collection site only once every three years, and 2026 is that year, the first time Newport has hosted since 2023. The Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission (UVLSRPC), which coordinates the regional program, has confirmed five collection events across the area this year, all running 9 a.m. to noon: May 2 at DHMC Lot 27 in Lebanon, May 30 at the Claremont Highway Garage on Grandview Street, July 11 at the Grantham Town Offices on Route 10 South, August 8 at the Newbury Highway Garage on South Road, and September 26 back in Lebanon. The Newport-hosted date and location is listed in the full schedule at newportnh.gov.

Newport residents attend free of charge, as do residents from roughly 20 other member communities including Claremont, Cornish, Goshen, Lempster, Sunapee, Unity, and Washington. Residents from towns outside the program are welcome but pay a fee. Anyone bringing 25 gallons or more, or any business, must pre-register at least two weeks in advance by calling UVLSRPC at 603-448-1680. Businesses that show up without pre-registration will not be accepted.

Two things that changed this year are worth knowing before you load up the car. Batteries are no longer accepted at any UVLSRPC collection event in 2026, including lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. Newport's transfer station is the correct destination for those. Latex paint is also out, but for a different reason: it is not classified as hazardous waste. Dry it out with kitty litter or sawdust, or leave the lid off the can, and it goes in the regular trash.

What the program does accept includes oil-based paints and stains, paint thinner and solvents, pesticides and herbicides, gasoline and other fuels, automotive fluids, fluorescent bulbs, pool chemicals, and household cleaners labeled flammable, corrosive, or toxic. Ammunition, explosives, and unknown substances are not accepted under any circumstances.

There is no curbside pickup option and no transportation assistance for seniors or residents without vehicles. Anyone who cannot drive to a collection site will need to arrange a ride or contact Public Works Director Chris Pelletier's office to ask whether any alternative arrangements exist.

Residents who miss every 2026 event are not without options, but the alternatives cost more. Private licensed hazardous waste haulers will handle materials by appointment, and the NH Department of Environmental Services maintains a statewide list of those contractors. The regional collection program exists precisely to keep that cost to zero for participating households, which is why the Newport-hosted date this year carries some weight: it is the one opportunity in three years when the collection comes to town.