Household hazardous waste — where it goes and how collection events work

Paint, cleaners, pesticides, motor oil, batteries, propane tanks: anything that can catch fire, react, explode, corrode or poison is household hazardous waste, and it needs its own trip. Many counties take it free from residents, either at a permanent drop-off or at collection events a few times a year. Here's how those programs work and how to find yours.

Short answer

Never down the drain, on the ground, into a storm sewer — and in some cases not in the trash either.
Find your county's program: a permanent drop-off, scheduled collection events, or both.
Usually free for residents, with proof of address and limits on how much you bring.
Keep products in their original, labeled containers, and don't mix them.

What counts as household hazardous waste

EPA defines it as leftover household products that can catch fire, react or explode under certain circumstances, or that are corrosive or toxic — paints, cleaners, oils, batteries and pesticides among them. EPA lists the ways it goes wrong: pouring it down the drain, on the ground or into storm sewers, or in some cases putting it out with the regular trash, which can injure sanitation workers and contaminate septic tanks or wastewater treatment systems.

Our guides cover the common items one by one: paint, batteries, lithium-ion batteries, propane tanks, gasoline, motor oil, antifreeze, aerosol cans, light bulbs, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.

Permanent drop-offs vs. collection events

EPA's advice is to contact your local environmental, health or solid waste agency about permanent or periodic collections. In our directory, programs come in both shapes:

Permanent sites: Fargo's Household Hazardous Waste Facility takes it free; Allen County, Indiana's Tox Tuesday drop-off runs every Tuesday for county residents; Lake County, Illinois collects twice a month by appointment, plus mobile events from April to October.
Collection events: Manchester, New Hampshire takes it only on the second Saturdays of May and October; Oceana County, Michigan holds its day on the third Saturday in August; Norwalk, Connecticut holds one each August; Hickory, North Carolina's county events are usually in spring and fall.
Less often: Ponca City, Oklahoma holds a household hazardous waste day every other year.

Limits and what they turn away

Programs cap how much you can bring and refuse some items outright:

Monmouth County, New Jersey: up to 20 gallons of liquid or 220 pounds of dry material a visit, in containers of 5 gallons or less; no asbestos, ammunition, fireworks, smoke detectors or medical waste.
Puyallup, Washington: up to 35 items or 35 gallons a vehicle a day.
Allen County, Indiana: light bulbs limited to 50 a visit.

Latex paint usually isn't hazardous waste at all — dry it out and it goes in the trash, as our paint guide explains.

Find a drop-off near you

Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest sites. Many city pages list the local hazardous waste program and its dates; call before you load up.

Common questions

Where can I dispose of household hazardous waste near me?

Your county or city runs a program: a permanent drop-off, scheduled collection events, or both. Use the finder on this page, check your city's page for the local program, or contact your solid waste agency, as EPA advises.

Is household hazardous waste disposal free?

Usually for residents, with proof of address. Programs set limits on how much you can bring, and some charge for certain items or for businesses.

What is a household hazardous waste collection event?

A scheduled day when a county or city collects paint, chemicals, batteries and similar items, often at a public works yard. Some are twice a year, some once a year and some every other year.

What won't a hazardous waste program take?

Commonly refused: ammunition, fireworks, asbestos, medical waste and smoke detectors, as in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Latex paint often isn't needed there at all, since dried-out latex can go in the trash.

Can household hazardous waste go in the trash?

Some can and much can't. EPA lists putting it out with regular trash, in some cases, among the ways it's disposed of improperly. Check the item's guide or your local program.

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