The average home has 60 to 100 pounds of hazardous waste stored in the basement, garage, or under the sink. Improper storage or disposal can cause accidental poisonings and environmental damage. We encourage you to reduce your hazardous waste by only purchasing the amount of product you use and purchasing non-hazardous alternatives.

In 2010 the Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Program will no longer accept latex paint. Oil based and other types of paint as well as paint thinners will still be accepted. Latex paint is not a hazardous waste and can be safely thrown away with your regular trash once it is in a solid form. Simply leave the lid off the paint and mix in sand, saw dust, or kitty litter to speed up the drying out process. Once the paint is dry, leave the lid off when you dispose of the can with your regular trash so your waste hauler can see that the paint is dry since they cannot pick up liquids. Reduce waste by only purchasing the volume of paint you will need.

For a list of organizations and businesses that will accept household hazardous waste throughout the year, click here.