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Hazardous Waste

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Industrial hazardous waste is just the tip of the iceberg. Many of the products under your sink and in the garage are toxic and should not be released into the environment.  Download our Hazardous Waste Brochure (2015).

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) includes but is not limited to:
 
  • Paints, stains, and thinners
  • Drain, oven, and other household cleaners
  • Floor and furniture polish
  • Finishing products
  • Solvents
  • Fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides
  • Smoke Detectors
 
  • Photo processing chemicals
  • Pool supplies
  • Fluorescent light bulbs
  • Thermometers and blood pressure devices
  • Batteries
  • Old gasoline, anti-freeze, motor oil, and oil filters 
  • Transmission, brake, and steering fluids
Secciones

Reducing Household Hazardous Waste Pollution

The most environmentally-friendly solution to HHW is to not produce it.

  • Use the least toxic cleaners and paints possible.
  • Switch to rechargeable batteries. Limit your electronics to those that only require one or two sizes, such as AA and AAA.
  • Offer unneeded items to friends and neighbors, especially if you are moving.
  • Viable products taken to the Community Hazardous Waste Collection Center may be reused, so donate unwanted items while they are still usable. Always keep them in their original containers.
  • The Downtown Recycling Center offers free latex paint! Check it out before you buy.

Easy Battery Recycling for Residential Customers!

  • Tape the ends of the batteries
  • Bag in a clear plastic bag
  • Place on top of your recycling bin on collection days

Where Should Hazardous Waste Go?

HHW must be brought to a disposal facility because it contains chemicals known to endanger both human health and the environment. Please do not pour dangerous products down the drain, where they will end up in the ocean, or on the ground, where they can poison the soil and contaminate the water table. Sewage and water treatment plants do not extract hazardous compounds and substances can migrate a long way underground. Water tables in remote regions often have a layer of petroleum on top, which can end up as our drinking water.

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