Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste

Many products commonly found around the house qualify as hazardous waste and are potentially harmful to the environment if not disposed of properly.  Hazardous waste is a substance that is toxic, corrosive, reactive or ignitable. Household chemicals such as motor oil, cans of leftover paint and cleansers and items such as batteries and fluorescent or incandescent bulbs can be harmful to humans, fish and birds if not disposed of properly. Here are some ways to dispose of these items safely.   

                           

Step 1:

Inspect each item for warning labels and consult any manuals that came with the item for warnings and disposal guidelines. Treat anything designated as poisonous or flammable or marked with the biohazard symbol as hazardous waste, and dispose according to manufacturer’s guidelines. It is advisable that you consider unlabeled substances or those of unknown composition as hazardous waste.

Step 2:

Sort your items for disposal. You may have to take different items to different recycling or processing locations. Hazardous waste items include paint, pool chemicals, pesticide, fertilizers, weed killer, motor oil, antifreeze, solvents, cleaning chemicals, batteries, aerosol cans, syringes and other medical waste, propane tanks, and fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs and tubes.

Step 3:

Call your sanitation department to find out if your community has curbside pickup of hazardous waste and the designated pickup days. Some places have separate collections for e-waste —- electronics, such as old computers and peripherals.

Step 4:

Check your municipality’s website to see when it holds hazardous waste roundups. These events are usually set up at a local fire station, school parking lot or other community building. The public may drop off old chemicals, batteries, motor oil and other items. Ask what kinds of items are accepted and whether any quantity restrictions are in place.

Step 5:

Call your local waste management authority for a list of places that have permanent drop-off sites for hazardous waste. These may be private companies that accept specific kinds of items. For example, some auto repair places are equipped to recycle old motor oil; some also accept cooking grease.

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Source: National Geographic