Have used batteries, motor oil, old televisions, chemistry sets and the like that you want to get rid of? Please don’t use the Anacostia River as a dumping ground. But do take advantage of D.C.’s free disposal service. The District’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection is coming up in two weekends on Saturday, Oct. 24, and District officials are starting to spread the word. Check out what can be disposed of (including asbestos tiles and roofing tar) and what can’t (anything with biological or radiological waste).

The collection point is the Carter Barron Amphitheatre parking lot off 16th Street in Rock Creek Park. Cars with household waste will certainly line up before the 9 a.m. start, but be sure to arrive before 3 p.m. when the operation shuts down. We’ll try to remind you closer to trash disposal day.

Sure, it will turn Carter Barron into a temporary Superfund site, but for the overall health of the city, the District is good to offer this service free of charge. D.C. will take the deposited items to an EPA-approved disposal facility. Be sure to bring proof of residency, as District officials will no doubt try to weed out those Marylanders and Virginians who will try to sneak their trash across into D.C.