Most of us have a spot under the sink or out in the garage where the leftover stuff piles up. Half a can of paint, a jug of old antifreeze, a bag of dead batteries.
Tossing it all in the trash can feels like the easy answer, but it is the wrong one. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency keeps a list of common household hazardous waste items, and Zero Waste Sonoma, a county program in California, puts it bluntly with a heading that reads “Never Throw Household Hazardous Waste in the Trash.”
Here are 12 items from those lists that belong somewhere other than your curbside bin.
Batteries Are On The EPA List Of Household Hazardous Waste
The EPA’s list of common household hazardous waste items includes batteries, and Zero Waste Sonoma lists auto batteries in the garage category. That covers the drawer of old AA and button cells as well as the heavy one from the family car.
Collect them in a small container and take them to a collection site rather than the garbage truck.
Fluorescent Bulbs Belong At A Collection Site
Fluorescent light bulbs appear on the EPA’s list, and Zero Waste Sonoma also lists them, along with LED bulbs, under items in the house. If you swapped your old bulbs for new ones, do not let the old ones ride out with the weekly trash.
Keep them in the original box so they do not break on the way to drop-off.
Used Motor Oil And Filters Are Not Trash
The EPA includes motor oil in its automotive products list, and Zero Waste Sonoma names oil and filters in its garage and workshop list. Anyone who changes their own oil knows how quickly that dirty pan fills up.
Pour it into a sealed container and take it to a household hazardous waste site, never down the drain or into the bin.
Antifreeze Is On The Official Lists
Antifreeze appears on the EPA’s automotive list and on Zero Waste Sonoma’s garage list. So do brake fluid, transmission fluid and power-steering fluid, according to those two sources.
If you have a half-used jug from three winters ago, put it on your next errands list for the drop-off site.
Oil Or Enamel Based Paint And Thinners Need Special Handling
The EPA lists oil or enamel based paint, paint thinners and turpentine, stains and finishes, and paint strippers. Zero Waste Sonoma lists paint, paint thinners, solvents and wood finishes.
That leftover can from the porch project is a good reason to check your local program before you clear out the garage.
Drain And Oven Cleaners Are Hazardous Waste Too
You might not think of cleaning products as hazardous, but the EPA’s list includes oven cleaners, drain cleaners, toilet cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, and laundry bleach. Zero Waste Sonoma lists cleaners and disinfectants as well.
Use them up as directed if you can, and take the leftovers to a collection site rather than pouring them in the trash.
Bug Sprays And Rodent Poisons Are Listed
The EPA names indoor pesticides such as ant and cockroach sprays and baits, mouse and rat poisons, flea shampoos and houseplant insecticides. Out in the yard, it lists herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, and Zero Waste Sonoma adds weed killers and pool chemicals.
Keep products in their original containers with the labels intact so the collection staff know exactly what they are handling.
Propane Tanks And Compressed Cylinders Do Not Go In The Bin
The EPA lists propane tanks and other compressed cylinders among its other flammable products. Zero Waste Sonoma says it accepts propane in 5-gallon cylinders and smaller.
That means the little camping bottles and the grill tank you retired are both worth taking to a collection event rather than the curb.
Mercury Thermometers And Thermostats Are Listed
The EPA’s list names mercury thermometers and thermostats, and Zero Waste Sonoma lists mercury-containing items. If grandma’s glass thermometer is still rattling around in a drawer, this is its cue.
Seal it in a container and take it to a hazardous waste site.
Lighter Fluid, Kerosene And Gasoline Are Flammables
The EPA includes lighter fluid, kerosene, diesel fuel and gas or oil mix on its flammable list. Zero Waste Sonoma lists fuels such as butane, diesel, gasoline, kerosene and lamp oil.
These are products you never want sitting in a bin next to a hot summer day, so deal with them promptly.
Old Medications And Needles Are Listed Too
Zero Waste Sonoma lists medication and sharps or needles among the household hazardous waste items it takes. That is a good reminder for the medicine cabinet nobody has cleaned out in years.
Ask your pharmacy or local program how to handle the specific items in your home.
Aerosol Cans Of Hair Spray And Paint Are Listed
Zero Waste Sonoma lists aerosol sprays, hair care products, nail polish and remover, and lighters and matches among the household items it handles as hazardous waste.
The lesson is that even bathroom and craft cabinet leftovers can end up on the list.
How you get rid of all this depends on where you live. Zero Waste Sonoma, for example, offers a free household hazardous waste facility and free collection events, plus a pickup service called the HHW Rover that costs $50 per pickup and is free for seniors over 80 and housebound residents.
Your own county or city may have a different setup, so search for your local household hazardous waste program before you load the car.
A simple habit helps. Keep a sturdy box in the garage for items from these lists, and when it fills up, make one trip to the drop-off site.
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