What is Hazardous Waste?

Download What is Haz Waste Flyer
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Household Hazardous Waste encompasses a variety of toxic substances banned from the landfill. 

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) are common household products that exhibit the characteristics of hazardous waste. Many of these products are very common and are usually purchased from local hardware, automotive, and grocery stores.
 
Because these products are so common and easy to purchase, many people forget that these products can be extremely harmful to their health or the environment. 

If labels contain the words: “Danger,” “Poison,” or “Caution/Warning consider it hazardous waste. 

Common Examples of Household Hazardous Waste

  • Paint thinners, solvents
  • Paints or stains WITHOUT identifiable labels intact on the cans.
  • Cleaners that contain bleach — laundry products, tub &  tile cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners
  • Drain openers, oven cleaners, floor wax
  • Tar, adhesives
  • Pesticides, aerosols, moth balls​
  • Lead paint chips (Learn more at VT Dept. Health)
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.
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 usable up to 15 years if stored properly, so a little care can keep the product usable.
How to dispose of potentially hazardous waste:
Proper storage and disposal of hazardous waste is essential to the long-term health of Vermont's soil, air, and water. 

We offer multiple annual events for collection hazardous waste and other hard-to-dispose of materials from May to October. Collections are open to residents of all member towns. Fees are $20 per car load for most residential loads. Visit our Hazardous Waste Collections page to learn about upcoming events near you.

Paint Recycling
We can accept paints (with the PaintCare standards) year-round at our ARCC facility, in addition to collecting them at HHW events.  You can also check with your hardware store to see if they accept paint for recycling. 
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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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The outlets below CANNOT take motor oil contaminated by water, solvent (or other liquids), gas, etc.​
  • Chelsea Transfer Station, 71 Washington Turnpike, Chelsea (call the Town Clerk for info: (802) 685-4460
  • Bond Auto Parts accepts motor oil:
    • 45 Summer St., Barre 476-3108
    • 272 Morrison Rd, Barre 479-7120
    • 789 Us Route 302, Barre 479-7120
    • 537 S. Barre Rd., South Barre 479-0612
    • 124 S. Main St., Hardwick 472-5575
    • 417 Lower Plain Rd., Bradford 22-4746
  • AutoZone
    • 18 Overlook Dr., Barre 476-1875
  • Advance Auto
    • 1400 US Route 302, Barre,  479-1461

Contaminated oil products MUST go to a HHW collection event. 
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See our Trash & Recycling Options page for facility locations and contact information.

Products containing mercury:

*If you break a fluorescent bulb, follow the Broken Bulb Guidelines from the VT Agency of Natural Resources.
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*For more information and to learn about year round collections of mercury containing items, see VT DEC Mercury Education website.
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How do I reduce toxins in my home?

Refuse to buy toxins! See our booklet, Non-toxic Household Cleaners, for more information on how to reduce the amount of poisonous cleaners you use. 

The National Institutes for Health​ has a searchable Household Products Database and is a wonderful resource for learning about specific toxic ingredients in products commonly found around the home.

​CVSWMD also is dedicated to educating about reducing toxins in our communities. Learn more about toxins by clicking the link below
Check out this video from The Green Guide@Howdini.com!