Hazardous Waste

A jug of motor oil, gasoline, a paint bucket, three spray paint cans, window cleaner, batteries and lights. All items are hazardous waste.

Hazardous wastes have flammable, toxic, corrosive and reactive properties which present a variety of human and environmental health risks. They need to be managed properly to keep harmful waste out of the environment and should never be placed in garbage or recycling bins.

Many items used around the home, including cleaning, gardening, and chemicals used to repair things are considered hazardous. Some examples of hazardous products are aerosols, anti-freeze, fertilizers, motor oil, paint supplies, photo chemicals, poisons and solvents. To identify these wastes, look for warning, caution and/or danger labels.

Protect wildlife and human health by keeping hazardous waste out of waterways and the environment.

To learn more about household and business hazardous waste visit these pages.

How to reduce your use of hazardous waste

choose less-toxic products
select or make your own safer alternative products when you can
buy only what you need and will use in a reasonable amount of time
share leftovers with those who need them

Common hazardous items
NOTE: not all of these items are accepted at the household hazardous waste collection events. Please check the schedule.

ammunition (small arms)
antifreeze
aerosols, air fresheners, and deodorizers
art, craft, and hobby chemicals
batteries - vehicle, rechargeable, button, alkaline batteries
beauty products such as fingernail polish and remover, and some hair products
cleaners (bleach, detergents, degreasers, disinfectants, drain cleaners, deck cleaners, hand cleaners, oven cleaners, polishes, waxes)
colorants and tints
compressed gas cylinders
explosives, fireworks, and flares
fire extinguishers
flea control products
fluorescent, lamps, tubes. light ballasts—please remove from the light fixture
gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuels, lighter fluid
glues, epoxies, adhesives, and caulking compounds
lawn and garden chemicals (moss killers, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, poisons)
mercury (items containing mercury can include ballasts, barometers, blood pressure gauges, fluorescent lights, high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps, silent wall switches, thermometers-medical and household, thermostats)
motor oil, lubricating oils, windshield cleaners, brake fluid, transmission fluid, antifreeze
pool and spa chemicals
propane tanks and bottles
paint and paint products (latex and acrylic paint, spray paint, marine paint, automotive paint, oil-based paint, enamel, stains, lacquers, shellacs, varnishes, primers, wood preservatives, paint additives)
poisons
roof patching and repair materials
solvents, resins, thinners, mineral spirits
tar, pitch, and bitumen-based products