We know, you have been at home, cleaning out the garage, the laundry room and under the sinks and now you have a ton of stuff to get rid of … but you don’t want to just throw some of this stuff away – what to do? Everyday items like batteries, household cleaners, cosmetics and pesticides are considered “household hazardous waste” (HHW) and should not be taken lightly.
The key to the name is “hazardous” which means you should properly discard of them in the right way by taking these wastes to an HHW event or finding out who/where will take the products for you. Never discard of this type of waste down a household sink, or by pouring it in a storm drain or just sending it along with your normal trash to the landfill; these waste streams have characteristics which are bad for the people collecting your waste, and for the environment. For example, by dumping items down a storm drain or sewer – these drains go directly into the water table, leading to the contamination of our water supply.
Here are some examples of HHW or universal wastes:
- Automotive products (antifreeze, fluids, motor oil)
- Batteries (home and car)
- Cathode ray tubes (TVs, computer monitors)
- Cosmetics
- Electronics
- Fluorescent light tubes and ballasts
- Fuels
- Herbicides
- Hobby supplies (glue, paint)
- Household cleaners
- Mercury (thermometers, thermostats)
- Paint products (acetone, thinners, strippers)
- Paints (latex and oil)
- Personal care products
- Pesticides
- Polishes and waxes
- Pool and spa chemicals
- Propane tanks from barbecues
- Unused road flares
- Wood preservatives
There are wastes like ammunition, explosives, biological or medical waste, asbestos, and radioactive waste that go beyond the HHW classification and need to be dealt with differently – if you have this type of waste, please give us a call and one of our teams will help you with a disposal solution.
If you are looking to rid yourself of your spring-cleaning debris, check out your municipality to see when they will be hosting an event or, find a hazardous waste provider in your area to see when they might be helping in HHW collection efforts. Do some research as some of these universal wastes are being taken back by merchants and providers of these products – so always ask!
Our team is well-versed in this area and we are excited about co-hosting drop-off events with municipalities, organizations and businesses, and our neighborhood mobile efforts to pick up HHW at your home or business. If you want any information on our services, please call Robert Belanger at 339-440-0608 or email him at RBelanger@acvenviro.com.
