Trim Your Waste
Managing
Hazardous Waste - Tackle Toxic Trash
Toxic trash consists of items that threaten our environment if not handled properly. The most preferable method for handling these items is to use them up entirely, or to share them with someone else who can. Avoid purchasing more of these materials than you can use. Please consider less toxic substitutes as well.
Down the Drain
The following products can be poured down the drain safely with plenty of water (to dilute and protect skin and eyes). Always read labels to determine if a product will damage your septic system.
- Alcohol-based lotions, aftershaves, perfumes, etc.
- Aluminum cleaners
- Ammonia-based cleaners
- Bathroom cleaners
- Bleach
- Depilatories
- Disinfectants
- Drain cleaners
- Hair permanent lotions / relaxers
- Photographic chemicals (mixed & properly diluted)
- Rust remover (phosphoric acid)
- Toilet bowl cleaner
- Trisodium phosphate (cleaner)
- Tub and tile cleaners
- Water-based glue
- Window cleaners
- Windshield washer fluid
Antifreeze can be safely disposed of in the same manner only if you are on a public sewer system. Antifreeze will damage and contaminate your septic system
In the Trash
The following products cannot be poured down the drain, but can be safely disposed in a sanitary landfill. Be certain the materials are properly packaged or processed before they are put out for collection.
- Aerosol cans (can be recycled when empty)
- Auto body repair products
- Fertilizer (without herbicides)
- Household batteries
- Medicine (sealed in a plastic bag with coffee grounds, cat litter, or sawdust)
- Oven cleaner (lye base)
- Paint strippers (lye base)
- Powdered cleansers
- Shoe polish
Special Collection
The following products are hazardous wastes that, if unable to be used, should be saved for a community-wide collection day (dates are widely advertised). Keep these materials in their original containers.
- Battery acid
- Bug sprays
- Car wax with solvent
- Cutting oil
- Floor care products
- Fuel
- Fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, rat poision, and weed killer
- Furniture polish
- Glue (solvent based)
- Lighter fluid
- Mercury
- Metal polish with solvents
- Mothballs
- Swimming pool (hydrochloric) acid
- Wood preservatives
Natural Alternatives to Hazardous Products
Hazardous Product |
Safer Substitute |
| All purpose cleaner | In 1 quart warm water, mix 1 teaspoon liquid soap, borax, lemon juice, and/or white vinegar. |
| Glass cleaner | Mix 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice in 1 quart water. Spray on & use newspaper to dry. |
| Drain cleaner | Pour boiling water down drain once weekly. Use a plunger or snake. |
| Oven cleaner | Clean spills as soon as the oven cools using steel wool & baking soda; for tough stains, add salt. (Do not use this method in self-cleaning or continuous clean ovens.) |
| Toilet bowl cleaner | Use a toilet brush with baking soda or vinegar. |
| Furniture polish | Wipe with mixture of 1 teaspoon lemon oil in 1 pint mineral or vegetable oil. |
| Rug deodorizer | Sprinkle carpet liberally with baking soda. Wait 15 minutes then vacuum. |
| Plant spray | Wipe leaves with mild soap & water, then rinse. Cleans plants and repels insects. |
| Roach & ant repellent | Sprinkle powdered boric acid in cabinet edges, around baseboards, and in cracks. |
| Mothballs | Try cedar chips, lavender, rosemary, mint, or white peppercorns. |
| Flea & tick repellent | Mix brewer’s yeast or garlic in your pets’ food; sprinkle fennel, rue, rosemary, or eucalyptus seeds or leaves around animal sleeping areas. |
| Lighter fluid | For charcoal barbeque starter, use dryer lint (it is extremely flammable). For campfires and fireplaces, stuff dryer lint into empty cardboard toilet paper roll. |
| Bleach | Use hydrogen peroxide to whiten clothing. |