CANTON — St. Lawrence County has slowly expanded its free hazardous waste collection into an annual event.

The program continues with pickups June 21 at the Human Services Building, Route 310, Canton, and Aug. 2 at the Potsdam Municipal Airport, Route 11. Both are from 1 to 5 p.m.

It's the first time the county has offered two collections in one year.

Legislators started talking in 2005 about sponsoring free collections after hearing about Jefferson County's success. The first, in October 2006, drew 268 carloads to the Ogdensburg transfer station. Buoyed by popularity, the county sponsored a second 10 months later, and 257 carloads were dumped at the Massena transfer station.

Lawmakers clamored to sponsor another 2007 collection shortly thereafter, but held off after learning that the state Department of Environmental Conservation would not pay half of the cost. DEC pays half of all collections, but only one application can be submitted annually.

The application can include an unlimited number of collections.

The county is contracting MXI Environmental Services, Virginia, to collect and haul this year's waste. The company is charging $44 per carload, which is $5 less than the county paid last year.

A cubic yard of electronics will cost the county $225, as opposed to $250 in 2007.

Last year's collection was $18,695. DEC contributed $9,127.

The cost of this year's collection, and subsequent events, will be covered by a fund created May 5 to clean ground contamination. That fund will be replenished annually.

"It was to ensure it got done every year," said Legislature Vice Chairman Frederick S. Morrill, D-DeKalb. "It went along with the cleanup."

Collections are aimed at waste neglected by normal pick-up services such as pesticides, solvents and corrosives. A list of acceptable products is available from the county Planning Office, 379-2292.