BANGOR – The line stretched around the corner from the city’s public works area on Saturday during the annual hazardous waste collection day, as people from all over the region filed in to throw away everything from computers to old paint thinner.

“This is really a regional hazard and universal waste collection day,” Dana Wardwell, Bangor Public Works director, said on Saturday while manning the north gate entrance on Maine Avenue. “There are 23 communities involved this year.”

Bangor collects hazardous materials each year on the first Saturday in October, and the number of people who wanted to dispose of items grew this year by approximately 25 percent.

“We did around 1,000 last year, and we had 1,200 pre-register [for 2005], so it’s up over last year,” Wardwell said.

Another 50 or so residents showed up without a permit and paid $10 each to dispose of items.

Onyx Environmental of Stoughton, Mass., will break down and recycle the components of the computers and other electronics.

“They brought up 35 people and 10 trucks to take this stuff with them,” Wardwell said. “There’s another 35 to 40 [representatives] from the town offices [working]. It’s a pretty big operation.”

Keep Bangor Beautiful representatives also were on hand to serve refreshments during the five-hour collection.

Each resident was allowed to bring up to 15 gallons of household hazardous waste, such as used oil or old paints, along with one computer with monitor and keyboard and one television.

The city annually applies for a state grant to help pay for some of the disposal costs, Jerry Hughes, Public Works recycling representative, said on Saturday.

“The State Planning Office is going to fund a portion of this,” he said. “Hopefully, it’s 50 percent.”

After the state grant amount is applied to the final costs, the 23 communities will divide up the remaining portion.

Last year, the total cost was $68,000, with around $30,000 being Bangor’s portion, Wardwell said.