Don't Throw Hazardous Waste in the Trash
Leftover household products that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients are considered to be household hazardous waste (HHW). Products, such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides that contain potentially hazardous ingredients require special care when you dispose of them. Disposing of HHW in your trash is dangerous. The garbage truck has to compact your trash to make room for the next stop and once full has to dump it onto the transfer station floor where your trash is then pushed down into the transfer trailer for disposal at the landfill. These operations create a very real potential to break open containers and allow the contents to mix with other chemicals in the waste stream. The resulting chemical reaction may create toxic smoke, fumes, and fire which could injure collection workers, pets, neighbors, family members, and the environment.
Disposing of Hazardous Materials
For information about the disposal of Household Hazardous Waste Materials, visit Disposal of Hazardous Materials.