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Many products used in the home, garden, garage and hobby shop are hazardous
wastes such as poison, combustible, flammable or corrosive. When you decide to
discard these products they become household hazardous wastes requiring proper
disposal. List of acceptable wastes. List of
wastes NOT accepted.
Most people think of "hazardous wastes" as wastes generated by
industry, but many household products contain the same chemicals found in
industrial hazardous wastes. Improper disposal of household hazardous wastes,
such as throwing them away with your household trash, dumping them in storm
drains, or into sewer or septic systems, can endanger your health, the health of
others and the environment.
There are many reasons it makes sense to collect hazardous household wastes
separately and keep them out of landfills. Some household hazardous wastes
shouldn't be landfilled because they can be recycled or used as an energy saving
fuel. Less hazardous waste in the landfill means less hazardous leachate requiring expensive treatment. The risk of ground and water pollution should leachate leak from landfills is also reduced. Garbage collectors and landfill
workers can be injured by exploding aerosol cans, splashing chemicals or
poisonous fumes created by mixed chemicals. Chemical reactions can also cause
fires in garbage collection trucks.
Household hazardous wastes should never be poured onto the ground or down
storm drains. Products such as motor oil contain toxic chemicals and metals
(hydrocarbons, lead, zinc, arsenic, chromium and cadmium) that will contaminate
groundwater, drinking water and freshwater wildlife habitats. Other products may
also have an adverse effect on water supplies and the environment.
Household hazardous wastes should never be flushed into septic systems or
down sewer drains because these wastes can kill the active bacteria either in
your septic tank or at the waste water treatment facility. Waste water treatment
facilities cannot remove all heavy metals and these may contaminate sewage
sludge, water supplies and animal habitats.
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All hazardous products exhibit at least one of the following properties:
Toxic: even in small quantities may immediately poison, or cause injury or
death through repeated exposure, when inhaled into the lungs, eaten,
swallowed, or absorbed through the skin (e.g. rat poison, pesticides,
bleach).
Flammable: usually liquids that easily ignite and burn (e.g. lighter fluid, spot
and paint removers).
Corrosive: substances or vapors that can burn skin on contact and can eat away the
surface of other materials (e.g. oven and toilet bowl cleaners).
Reactive: substances that react with air, water or another substance to produce
toxic vapors or explode (e.g. bleach when mixed with ammonia-based
cleaners).
Check the label. Look for the following warning words: POISON, TOXIC,
CORROSIVE, VOLATILE, FLAMMABLE, INFLAMMABLE, COMBUSTIBLE, EXPLOSIVE, DANGER,
CAUTION, WARNING or HARMFUL. These words will alert you to the nature of the
product.
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Follow the directions on the label. Ask the dealer or manufacturer to
provide more explanation if needed. Don't use more of the product than is
recommended. Never mix products; this can lead to explosions or poisonous gas
being released. Use hazardous products in well-ventilated areas and always use
gloves, eye protection and air purifying respirators whenever warranted. Never
eat, drink or smoke where hazardous products are being used. Keep products in
their original containers. If you do have to use a different container be sure
to label adequately in case of poisoning and for safe use and disposal. Store
all hazardous products upright, tightly sealed, and away from pets, children and
food.
The program serves Boulder and Broomfield County residents only. Business
wastes are not accepted. There is no charge to residents. Funded by Boulder and Broomfield Counties, the cities of Boulder, Lafayette,
Longmont and Louisville, and the towns of Erie and Superior. Each city pays for
the participation of its residents and the County pays for participation
by small town and unincorporated area residents.
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Broomfield, Lafayette,
Longmont,
Louisville, and
Superior hold annual or periodic HHW collection events for
their residents. Please call your local town/city hall for details.
Products include: cleaning, automotive, hobby, paints, stains & varnishes,
garden, woodworking supplies, wood sealants, etc.
Household
hazardous wastes are accepted from county residents for proper disposal or recycling.
Many products are in usable condition and some have
never been opened. Suitable products are made available to individuals,
businesses, and county and city departments for reuse, free
of charge, on a first-come, first-served basis. All persons accepting products
will be asked to sign a liability and indemnification release. Free product
give-away during open hours: Wednesdays - 8am - 3:30pm; Fridays & Saturdays - 8am to 12 Noon
- NEVER MIX DIFFERENT CHEMICALS! Toxic fumes or an explosion can
result and it prevents recycling of the materials.
- Leave waste products in their original containers, and make sure caps
and/or lids are securely closed. Gasoline is highly flammable and should
only be transported in purpose-designed gasoline cans or containers. Do not
transport hazardous wastes in the same part of your vehicle as children or pets.
- If the original container is leaking or damaged, place the entire
container in a larger container such as a clean paint can, plastic bucket,
or wrap securely with plastic. If you wrap up a container so that the
original label cannot be seen, mark the contents to the best of your
ability, and be sure to tell the collection staff what the contents are.
- Separate different types of waste, such as paints, motor oil, batteries,
pesticides, acids, etc. Place containers upright in sturdy cardboard boxes
or plastic trays, and pad with newspaper. You may also want to line your car
with plastic before you pack the car.
- Put containers in trunk or rear of your car, not on passenger seats. Come
straight to the Household Hazardous Waste facility to avoid any problems
with the waste.
- Don't eat, drink or smoke while handling household hazardous wastes. Wash
your hands after handling these materials.
- Never put HHW into trash bags or trash cans, lids can
come off causing chemicals to mix and possibly creating dangerous
reactions.
- No containers (containing liquid) in excess of 5
gallons will be accepted.
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Choose safer alternatives whenever possible, for
example, choose water-based products over solvent-based ones. Avoid aerosols. Avoid products containing chlorinated compounds, petroleum distillates,
phenols and formaldehyde. Avoid chemical air fresheners. Buy only what
you need so you aren't left with hazardous waste. Give left over products to a
responsible neighbor or friend who can use it up. Plant pest- and
disease-resistant species of plants. Reassess your tolerance of
pests and if you must kill them, learn how to target them more effectively.
Never use banned or restricted pesticides or
products. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA’s) web site lists banned or restricted pesticides and products including but not limited to:
For more information contact EPA Region 8 at
303.312.6149, or Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment at
303.693.3300.
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Don't throw
it away!