The Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF), located at 169 Great Plain Avenue, is gearing up to help residents take care of all their spring clean-out needs. Dates for paint collection; document shredding; hazardous waste collection; and the grand reopening of the Reusables Area have all been announced. Here’s the lowdown:

Thursday, May 2: paint collection

The RDF will collect old paint on Thursday, May 2, 3pm-6pm, and the first Thursday of each month through October 2024.

Paint is also available for the taking from the shed during regular RDF hours except during paint drop-off events. Stop by the RDF office for assistance.

Sunday, May 5: document shredding

Safely dispose of sensitive documents at the RDF on Sunday, May 5, 9am-3pm. The spring document destruction event is open to Wellesley residents only. It’s super easy to participate. You don’t even get out of your car, just make sure documents are corralled in a clearly marked brown paper bag or disposable cardboard box in the trunk of the vehicle. Once you give over your paper clutter, it’s goodbye forever. Shredded stuff cannot be returned to you. More guidelines here.

Shredding events typically get seven tons of documents from over 300 cars.

Sunday, May 5: hazardous waste collection

Safely, and without a fee, dispose of hazardous household waste and other items on Sunday, May 5, 9am-3pm, at the Recycling and Disposal Facility. Hazardous Waste Collection Day is an important component in Wellesley’s environmentally responsible approach to integrated solid waste management.

Here’s the list of accepted and unaccepted items.

If you miss the Wellesley hazardous waste collection day, you can contact Clean Harbors or New England Disposal Technologies Inc. to dispose of hazardous waste for a fee at their facilities.

The Reusables Area has officially opened

For those new to town, the Wellesley RDF Reusables Area is like a daily free yard sale where one family’s trash is another family’s treasures. Drop off your household items that are in working order or easily repairable, then scout the well-organized tables laden with the cast-offs of others. Everything you bring, you donate. Everything you pick up is free, and you don’t have to bring a donation to “shop.” The swap area is a town treasure of a place, run by the Friends of Recycling volunteers (they can always use new members). We can’t prove it, but we guess there’s not a home in Wellesley that doesn’t have something, somewhere from the Reusables Area.

Our first find of 2024: A 2.2-quart Le Creuset teakettle in pristine condition. It takes discipline, but please follow the rules and limit your visits to 30 minutes per day.