Household Hazardous Waste

There are many items in homes and businesses that can threaten drinking water sources if not properly disposed of. Educating your community residents about proper disposal of waste is paramount to preventing drinking water contamination. What we put on the ground ends up in our water! Items that require special disposal include:

• Automotive products: motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline, diesel fuel, etc.
• Yard and garden chemicals: pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers
• Mercury containing items: old thermostats, fluorescent bulbs, thermometers, etc.
• Electronics: computers, monitors, televisions, cell phones, etc.
• Anything considered hazardous if ingested: paints, batteries, paint thinner, spa chemicals, propane tanks, aerosols, household cleaners, solvents, stains, laundry products, old air conditioning units, etc.

So what can you do?

You can organize a household hazardous waste collection event in your community. Smaller communities can host collection events a few times a year. Some larger communities have permanent collection sites or mobile collection trucks that host events each month in various locations around town.

DEQ Household Hazardous Waste Brochure - you can use to explain the dangers of household hazardous waste to your community 

Instructions on How to Organize a Collection Event in Your Community 

Environmental Protection Agency’s Information on Household Hazardous Waste 

Curb It Program in Boise - This program has been incredibly successful at encouraging proper disposal and recycling of hazardous material. The great part of this program is that almost all of the hazardous materials collected are reused in some way.