What is Household Hazardous Waste?

Typically, they are products you have and use in your home such as antifreeze, batteries, motor oil, and paint, that you should not put in your garbage. These items require special disposal. Other examples include aerosol cans, pesticides, harsh cleaners (such as bleach), and electronics containing high levels of mercury, lead, or other heavy metals.

Do the safe thing and take your HHW to your local collection site.

Remember: motor oil, poisons, fertilizers, old medicines, hobby supplies, pool chemicals, and cleaners cannot be thrown into the trash and should never be poured on the ground or down drains. Take these and all household hazardous waste to the HHW collection center nearest you. Services are all FREE.

HHW Tips for Your Home

Follow these five steps to protect you and your family's health and environment.

1. Avoid household products marked Poison or Danger

By law, hazardous products must have warning labels. There is a hierarchy to the labels that relates to their level of hazard. So choose products that don't require a warning label or those marked Caution or Warning.

2. Reduce your need for yard and garden pesticides

Pesticides are poisons. Besides killing bugs and weeds, they may also poison children and pets, irritate eyes or skin, cause skin cancer, or kill birds and fish.

Build healthy soil by adding compost or aged manure and using slow-release organic fertilizers.

Buy plants that will grow well in this climate and in your yard.

Try non-chemical products to control pests, such as Teflon tape for root weevils or soap and water solutions for aphids.

3. Recycle your used motor oil

Take your oil to a local gas station, oil & lube center, or auto parts store. Contact us if you want help identifying the nearest collection center to you.

4. Use less-toxic cleaners

Some cleaners contain very hazardous ingredients that can burn your eyes, skin or lungs. Look for safer name-brand substitutes at your grocery store, or use simple alternatives. For a list of alternative cleaning methods, contact us for a free brochure (The Hazardless Home Handbook, A guide to Hazardous Household Products and Effective Alternatives).

5. Dispose of leftover hazardous products properly

Take you household hazardous waste to one of the many collection events in our community. Click here for the schedule

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