What is Hazardous Waste?

Consider anything labeled with the following warning words to be household hazardous waste and handle accordingly:
  • Caution
  • Toxic
  • Danger
  • Hazard
  • Warning​
  • Poisonous
  • Reactive
  • Corrosive
  • Flammable
These common household items are easy to purchase, but are dangerous to human and environmental health. They are banned from the landfill, but can be disposed of at Household Hazardous Waste collection events or at the Chittenden Environmental Depot year round. 
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Make sure to store these items cool, dry, and out of reach of children. ​

Common Examples of Household Hazardous Waste

  • Adhesives or tar
  • Automotive fluids like antifreeze or brake and transmission fluid
  • Aerosols, moth balls
  • Chemical cleaners like bleach, ammonia, and other corrosives​
  • Drain openers, oven cleaners, floor wax
  • Fuels and flammables like gas, kerosene, oil​
  • ​Laundry products, tub &  tile cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners
  • Lead paint chips (Learn more at VT Dept. Health)
  • Paint thinners and solvents
  • Paints or stains WITHOUT identifiable labels intact on the cans
  • Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers​
​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. Many of these items are poisonous. A closed cabinet or lidded box works well. 
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • Store paint upside down (with lid firmly in place) to keep it fresher. Oil-based paint can remain usable up to 15 years if stored properly.
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Automotive products:

Gasoline, kerosene, brake fluid, and transmission fluid should be taken to a Hazardous Waste Collection!

Used motor oil is accepted by some garages and auto-parts shops
This is for used motor oil only - with no water, gas, solvents, or other contaminants.
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Contaminated oil products MUST go to a HHW collection event. 

Products containing mercury:

Some household items contain mercury, which is toxic:
  • Bring fluorescent bulbs and CFLs to the ARCC
  • Many hardware stores also accept fluorescent bulbs
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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