If you cannot use up or give away household cleaners, follow proper disposal procedures as listed on product packages. Never use storm drains to dispose of household hazardous wastes like motor oil, paints or pesticides.
Hazardous Waste Disposal Information
Learn More About Hazardous Household Waste:
Household hazardous waste (HHW) includes products that we purchase and use every day in our home that contain materials that can harm us or the environment. Common household products that are a hazard when discarded include:
- fluorescent light bulbs
- cleansers
- electronics
- medications
- needles
- pesticides
- paints
- stains
Why is Hazardous Waste a Problem?
When HHW is not correctly disposed, it can enter our storm sewers and waterways. Improperly disposing of these items into storm sewers, sanitary sewers, on-lot sewage systems, or by dumping them onto the ground allows stormwater runoff to pick them up and carry them into our waterways. Once this waste enters our waterways, it causes water pollution that poses a threat to our health and can harm and, in some instances, kill animal and plant life.
What You Can Do:
We need to do everything possible to protect and preserve the quality of our water. We can all make a difference by taking a few simple steps:
1. Know what HHW is, and make sure to properly dispose of anything marked with the words “danger,” “caution,” “warning,” or “toxic.”
2. Read labels and purchase nonhazardous options whenever possible.
3. Create and use nonhazardous options whenever possible.
4. Purchase only as much as you need, so that you do not need to dispose of excess materials.
5. Never place toxic materials in your trash or dump them down sinks, storm drains, sanitary sewers, on-lot sewage, or on the ground; this is a dangerous and illegal practice.
6. Check with your municipality and/or county for HHW drop-off locations and times.
7. Help your municipality prevent dumping into storm sewers by volunteering to label stormwater drains.
