Household Hazardous Waste

To help you properly dispose of household and small business hazardous waste, we offer multiple annual events throughout the district from Spring to Fall. Collections are open to residents of all member towns. Fees are $15 per car load for most residential loads.

Attention farmers, gardeners, and sugarers!
Thanks to the VT Department of Agriculture and CVSWMD, pesticides and mercury candy thermometers (see below) are accepted for FREE at all Hazardous Waste Collections! (We accept the candy thermometers at our office as well.)

*Please note: Schools and small businesses must call ahead to pre-register for these events. Small businesses must be a Conditionally Exempt Generator (CEG). Learn more at the State of Vermont's website.

Questions? Contact us at 802-229-9383

What is Household Hazardous Waste?
Fluorescent light bulbs, pesticides, mercury thermometers and thermostats, and some household cleaners are all hazardous materials. Sometimes less-toxic alternatives are available (as in non-toxic, no VOC paints), but sometimes the product is so useful that it’s the best alternative even if it needs to be disposed of carefully (as with fluorescent bulbs). There are a growing number of options for the safe recycling and/or disposal of hazardous products in our region, and some businesses and recycling depots accept particular items year round. We encourage you to use these services when possible, rather than storing up materials for a hazardous waste collection.

The National Institutes for Health has a Household Products Database (search-able) and is a wonderful resource for learning about specific toxic ingredients in products commonly found around the home.

General Guidelines for Storing Household Hazardous Waste:
•    Keep items out of reach of children and pets. 
•    If possible, store items away from living spaces.
•    Make sure all lids and caps are tight to prevent the product and vapors/odors from leaking into living spaces.
•    Keep items away from heat sources (for safety), freezing temperatures (to prolong product life), and flood prone areas (to prevent contamination of water and soil).

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What's the best way to handle hazardous waste? Create Less! See our booklet, Non-toxic Household Cleaners, for more information on how to reduce the amount of poisonous cleaners you use. Also check out this great video below from The Green Guide@howdini.com.

Common Examples

Go to our What is Hazardous Waste? page and scroll down for a list of common examples of household hazardous wast. Click here to access the page.