With spring quickly approaching, the Town of Hempstead is preparing for another year of S.T.O.P. (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) Programs, which will be brought to communities throughout the township.

Hempstead Town is committed to preserving the natural beauty and ecological integrity of our area, and with the S.T.O.P. Program we are leading the way in recycling and the responsible disposal of hazardous household waste.

S.T.O.P. enables residents to safely dispose of hazardous household waste at 10 convenient locations. This vital service prevents hazardous materials from entering the waste stream and harming our delicate ecosystem.

Among the many items found around the house that should not be thrown out with the regular garbage are: bleach, ammonia, antifreeze, pesticides (including "Weed-B-Gone" or Silvex 2, 4, 5-T), cleaning solvents, disinfectants, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, paint and paint thinners, photography and swimming pool chemicals, spot removers and small propane tanks.

The schedule of the S.T.O.P. Program is complete for 2008, with the first event scheduled for Saturday, March 29, at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow. Program hours are from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for all S.T.O.P. events.

Other dates and locations are:

Long Beach: Sunday, April 13, on Centre Street (off Park Avenue).

Bellmore: Saturday, May 17, at the Newbridge Road Park garage.

East Rockaway: Sunday, June 22, at Bay Park.

Levittown: Saturday, July 19, at the Town Parking Field, Division Avenue (off Hempstead Turnpike.)

Hempstead: Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Village of Hempstead Dept. of Public Works parking lot located at 450 Milburn Avenue.

Bellmore: Sunday, Sept. 14, at the Newbridge Road Park garage.

North Woodmere: Sunday, Oct. 19, at North Woodmere Park.

Baldwin: Saturday, Nov. 22, at Baldwin Park garage on Grand Avenue.

East Meadow: Sunday, Dec. 14, at Eisenhower Park, Field #3, between Hempstead Turnpike and Merrick Avenue.

For more information or to obtain written material on the Town of Hempstead's S.T.O.P. Program, call the recycling section of the Department of Sanitation at 378-2200.

I urge you to take advantage of one of the S.T.O.P. programs available in your local neighborhood. This initiative provides a great opportunity to take an active role in preserving our environment. Together, we are making the Town of Hempstead an even better place for our children and future generations.