Household Hazardous Waste
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Proper storage and disposal of hazardous waste is essential to the long-term health of Vermont's soil, air, and water. Check out the information on this page to find out what household hazardous waste is, how to store it, and how to properly dispose of it!
Events To assist you in properly disposing of household and small business hazardous waste, we offer multiple annual events throughout the district from May to October. 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 the Program Manager at 802.229.9383 ext. 106 |
What is Household Hazardous Waste?
Fluorescent light bulbs, pesticides, mercury thermometers and thermostats, paint and paint products, 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.
Fluorescent light bulbs, pesticides, mercury thermometers and thermostats, paint and paint products, 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.
How should I store it?
Safe storage of hazardous products between uses or between collections is vital to keeping your home environment healthy.
General Guidelines:
• Keep items out of reach of children and pets. Stacking paint cans on top of each other, especially on high shelves, can be risky. Try a lidded box to prevent access instead.
• 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).
• Paint stored upside down (with lid firmly in place!) will keep it fresher. Oil-based paint can remain useable up to 15 years if stored properly, so a little care can keep the product useable.
Safe storage of hazardous products between uses or between collections is vital to keeping your home environment healthy.
General Guidelines:
• Keep items out of reach of children and pets. Stacking paint cans on top of each other, especially on high shelves, can be risky. Try a lidded box to prevent access instead.
• 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).
• Paint stored upside down (with lid firmly in place!) will keep it fresher. Oil-based paint can remain useable up to 15 years if stored properly, so a little care can keep the product useable.
Common Examples
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• Cleaners that contain bleach — laundry products, tub & tile cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners
• Drain openers, oven cleaners, floor wax • Oil-based paint (hardened and liquid forms), latex paint (in liquid form only/see note below) • Paint thinner, solvents, tar, adhesives • Pesticides, aerosols, moth balls • Propane cylinders (also accepted year round at Moretown Landfill and Barre Town Depot) • Batteries • Lead paint chips (Learn more at VT Dept. Health) *Note: While liquid latex paint is taken for recycling at Hazardous Waste Collections, hardened latex paints should be disposed of with regular household trash. These should be taken to a Hazardous Waste Collection! You do not need bring any empty bottles or cans to a collection; these items should be put in with your regular trash. |
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Automotive products:Gasoline, kerosene, contaminated auto oil, brake fluid, transmission fluid. These should be taken to a Hazardous Waste Collection!
Used Oil can be recycled at the following locations:
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Products containing mercury:
• Fluorescent light bulbs-
*If you break a fluorescent bulb, follow the Broken Bulb Guidelines from the VT Agency of Natural Resources. **Unbroken fluorescent bulbs are accepted year-round at some hardware stores and lighting retail stores; see fluorescent bulb recycling options for details. • Mercury thermometers - Bring these to a Hazardous Waste Event. • Mercury containing thermostats - We collect these year round at our office. Bring one in to get a $5 rebate coupon. If you can't do that, you can bring them to a Hazardous Waste Collection or drop them off at one of these other locations. *For more information and to learn about year round collections of mercury containing items, see VT DEC Mercury Education website. |
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Smoke Detectors: Because many of these contain small amounts of radioactive materials (Americium 241), we cannot accept these at our events. While households may still dispose of these in their trash, we strongly advise residents and businesses in our district to mail them back to the manufacturer as a best practice. Others are banned from throwing them in the landfill. Please visit the VT Department of Environmental Conservation's Smoke Detector page to learn more about proper handling and disposal. Contact the Program Manager at 800.730.9475 x 106 to find out more .
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Hey Sugarers! Vermont Solid Waste Districts and the VT Department of Agriculture are offering a program to assist producers of maple products with getting rid of their old mercury containing candy thermometers. Bring your old UNBROKEN ones to our office or one of our Hazardous Waste Events and not only will recycle it for free, we'll give you a new digital candy thermometer! Questions? Contact the Program Manager at 800.730.9475 x 106.
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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.
