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Household Hazardous Waste

Recycling/Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW):

This is a graphic of a cabinet full of household hazardous waste products

Special categories:

For more Information:

Contact Information

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Reducing Use of Hazardous Chemicals:

Household cleaning without chemicals
How to build a 'Green Cleaning Kit' toolbox (pdf file)
Safer Alternatives for lawn & garden (pdf file)
Safer Alternatives for workshop & garage (pdf file)

What is Household Hazardous Waste?

What is Household Hazardous Waste?

Reading the label of a product is the easiest way to determine if it is hazardous. If a label has one or more of the following terms, it is a hazardous product:

caution
warning
danger
poison
keep out of reach of children
fatal if swallowed
if swallowed call a physician or 911.
hazardous
harmful
fatal

Examples of household hazardous waste products, include, but are not limited to:

aerosol cans with product in can glues

all-purpose cleaning products insect repellents

antifreeze mercury thermometers

batteries motor oil

bleach oil-based paint

carpet/upholstery cleaner oven cleaner

degreasers paint thinner

drain cleaners polishes (shoe, furniture, brass)

flea collars rust remover

floor wax toilet cleaners

fluorescent light bulbs weed killer

Where to dispose of Household Hazardous Waste

There are two facilities for Pierce County residents to dispose of their household hazardous waste, free of charge:

The Hidden Valley Transfer Station:

Located at: 17925 Meridian Street East on South Hill, Puyallup.
Days Open: The household hazardous waste facility is open Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Hours: from 8 a.m. to Noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (closed 12 - 1 p.m.).

Tacoma Hazardous Waste Collection Facility.

Located at: 3510 South Mullen, Tacoma.
Days Open: seven days a week.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
You must show proof of county residency to use this facility (a WA State driver's license).

Businesses:

Household hazardous waste disposal facilities are not available for businesses.
Call the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department's Hazardous Waste Hotline at 1-800-287-6429 for information on properly disposing of industrial hazardous waste.

Materials Accepted	Materials NOT accepted
Aerosol Cans	55-gallon drums
Antifreeze	waste produced by businesses
Automotive products	latex paint
Cooking Oil	asbestos
Flammable liquids	biological waste
Fluorescent light bulbs	compressed-gas containers
Glues	explosives
Household Cleaners	radioactive materials
Motor oil (used)
Ni-cad batteries
Oil-based paints
Pet insecticides (pet products)
Yard & Garden chemicals

What to do with leftover paint

Latex paint
is water based and generally not hazardous. Landfills and garbage haulers cannot accept latex paint in liquid form; it must be hardened. Place latex paint in the garbage after the liquid has hardened, and leave the lid off.

If you have a little paint left in the can, you can speed the drying process by mixing in an absorbent, such as concrete or cement mix, kitty litter, or thinly cut strips of newspaper.

If the paint can is too full to add an absorbent, line a cardboard box with a plastic bag, pour in paint and mix with an absorbent.

Oil-based paint
must be disposed of at either of the Hazardous Waste Facilities (Tacoma or Hidden Valley).

Contact Information

Call the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department's Hazardous Waste Hotline at 1-800-287-6429.
View the City of Tacoma's website for more information about the Tacoma Hazardous Waste Collection Facility.
View the Hidden Valley Transfer Station's website at www.lrilandfill.com