Where can I take Household Hazardous Waste?

What is Household Hazardous Waste?

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) includes unusable or unwanted chemical products like pesticides, batteries, paint thinners, motor oil, etc. Did you know? On average, a household can accumulate 30 pounds of HHW in a single year! This adds up to 1.6 million tons in the U.S. each year. You probably have a lot more sitting under your sink, in the garage or basement than you think!

Identifying a product as HHW isn’t too hard. Check the product label for these symbols that indicate if it is hazardous. Look for words like poisonous, flammable, dangerous or corrosive. See below for common summer HHW items.

Common summer time items that are Household Hazardous Waste!

Summer time means more time outside, hotter temperatures, house projects and more! Here are some common summer items that are actually Household Hazardous Waste.

Aerosol Cans (empty or full)
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray (the skin kind and pesticide kind)
- Spray Paint
- Dry Shampoo
- Shaving Cream
Pool Chemicals
Acids and Bases
Propane Tanks (20 pounds or smaller, empty of full)
Batteries (Ex: AA/AAA, Lithium Ion, car/boat batteries)
Motor Oil and Filters
Pesticides
Fertilizers
Household Cleaners
Acrylic Paint and Paint Thinner
Thermometers / Thermostats

Why is properly disposing Household Hazardous Waste important?

It is important to manage HHW safely to avoid putting your friends, family and the environment at risk! Be sure to properly store chemical products in a cool, dry place and in the original container. The container label on the product should have important information such as expiration date, ingredient make-up, how to use properly, how to dispose of properly and more.

Protecting the environment is also one of the important aspects of disposing HHW properly. It should not go in your trash because, if compacted, it can become dangerous for trash workers to be around or to pick up the rest of the trash with. Also, chemical reactions can happen when a container is damaged and mixed with something else in the trash bin. This could cause spontaneous combustion! Also, HHW that ends up in the landfill can pollute groundwater and drinking water when landfills leak. This can harm us and wildlife. Did you know, just one quart of oil can pollute 250,000 gallons of water. That’s equivalent to 12.5 swimming pools!

Batteries are the most destructive contaminant in the Blue Bin. They do not belong in the trash or the Blue Bin. This is because they can cause fires very easily which pose a risk to human health and damage to collection bins and trucks as well as the machinery at the MRF. Click on Fire Chief Dennis M. Jenkerson’s face to watch short videos about Recycling Responsibly!

Don’t see something you were looking for? Check our “Beyond the Blue Bin” database and search where to take your item based off of your zip code.

Alternatives and how to avoid creating further HHW.

There are many safer alternatives of cleaners to buy, and buying safer cleaners means you are avoiding creating Household Hazardous Waste in the future. To learn more about alternatives and how to create less HHW see our other blog on HHW.