Household Hazardous Waste: Frequently Asked Questions What is household hazardous waste? Where might I find household hazardous materials in my home? What are common household hazardous materials? What should I do with my household hazardous materials? What happens at the household hazardous waste collection days? What types of materials will be accepted at the household hazardous waste collection days? What materials are unacceptable at the household hazardous waste collection days? Have other communities conducted household hazardous waste collection days? How can I tell if a product in my house has hazardous ingredients? What is household hazardous waste? Some common products designed to help us in our kitchens, bathrooms, and workshops contain toxic, ignitable, or reactive chemicals that can endanger human health and the environment if not managed properly. Because of their powerful ingredients, unused portions of these products are considered to be household hazardous waste or HHW. Where might I find household hazardous materials in my home? You may find household hazardous materials in just about any room of your home. Places where these materials are commonly found include: Bathroom Garden Car Garage Bedroom Basement Kitchen Workshop Study What are common household hazardous materials? Familiar household hazards include leftovers of the following products: Nail Polish Batteries Lighter Fluid Ammonia Car Wax Furniture Polish House Cleansers Bug Spray Varnish Pesticides Motor Oil Disinfectants Gasoline Turpentine Windshield Wiper Fluid Shoe Polish Pool Chemicals Glue Moth Balls Bleach Fertilizers Oil- or Solvent-based Paint Old Medicine Antifreeze What should I do with my household hazardous materials? Use it Up. If you fully use the product for its intended use, there is no need for disposal. If you cannot use all of the product, give what is leftover to a friend, neighbor, relative, or community organization. For the future, try to use alternative products or only purchase what is needed. Recycle and Recover the Waste. Many household hazardous materials such as motor oil, antifreeze, and automobile batteries can be recycled. Other materials such as useable, latex paint can be recovered and used by others. Dry the Material. Water-based or unusable paint can be dried, if the quantity is small. After air-drying these types of products, double wrap the container in newspaper, bag it and throw it out in the regular trash or save it and bring it to one of our special collection days. Save the Material for the District's Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program. In most cases, it is best to store the materials in the original container in a safe, dry place until it can be disposed of properly. What happens at the household hazardous waste collection days? The Recycling Office will hire a professionally licensed hazardous waste hauler to collect and dispose of the materials properly at an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved hazardous waste facility. At the collection site, a professional hazardous waste handler will accept your material. Be sure to keep the material in its original container. The handler will take the material from your car. There is no need for you to even exit your vehicle. After the materials are collected, they are put in special containers. As the containers are filled, they are transported to facilities where the materials can be recycled or disposed of properly. An emergency unit is on hand at all times to prevent spills and react to any emergency situation. However, because the District will only accept common household hazardous waste materials such as mothballs, pesticides, and paints, the risk of explosions or other emergency situations is virtually non-existent. What types of materials will be accepted at the household hazardous waste collection days? Pesticides Paints Drain Openers Antifreeze Cleansers Asbestos Tile Aerosols   Petroleum Products Batteries Solvents Wood Preservatives Used Oil Mercury Thermometers Fluorescent Light Bulbs Polishes Moth Balls Brake Fluid Thinners Televisions and Video Equipment Computers and Components Small amounts of Gasoline For your security, we recommend that you delete the contents of your hard drive on any computer equipment. What materials are unacceptable at the household hazardous waste collection days? Dioxins Radioactives Explosives Propane Tanks Tires Ammunition Biologically Active Wastes Microwave ovens Wooden TV Cabinets or Consoles Air Conditioners In addition, any material which cannot be identified will be turned over to the proper agency (i.e., the Metropolitan Police Department, the Fire Department, or the Department of Public Works Solid Waste Disposal Division) for proper treatment and disposal. Have other communities conducted household hazardous waste collection days? Some of our surrounding jurisdictions have also conducted household hazardous waste collection days. In fact, the average home contains 50 to 100 pounds of accumulated household hazardous wastes, such as a car battery, motor oil, and paint. Thus, household hazardous waste collection programs are important for proper management of these wastes. How can I tell if a product in my home has hazardous ingredients? Examine the labels on the products in your home. Labels that read "danger," warning," "caution," "toxic," "corrosive," "flammable," or "poison" identify products that might contain hazardous ingredients. These products should never be poured down the drain, on the ground, or into storm sewers. Also, in some cases, they should not be put out with the regular trash.