Household Hazardous Waste Collection

 

 

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has scheduled 18 household hazardous waste (HHW) collection events to be held across the state, starting April 2, 2005

 

Why should I care?

Careless storage and disposal of household chemicals can pose serious environmental and human health threats. Chemicals that are flushed down the toilet or poured into a storm drain can contaminate our drinking water, pollute the lakes we swim in, seep into the ground where we grow our food, and if they are burned, we can inhale them in the air we breathe.

 


What can I do?

Find out when and where your area will host its next collection day.  Gather all of the household chemicals and products that are accepted at HWW collections (see below).  To help you determine if something is a household chemical waste, look for the words "danger," "toxic," "flammable," "corrosive," and/or "reactive" somewhere on the product's packaging.

 

Materials ACCEPTED at HHW collections:

 

  • oil-based paint
  • pool chemicals
  • insecticides
  • solvents
  • asbestos
  • drain cleaner
  • old prescriptions
  • garden/lawn chemicals
  • aerosol products
  • motor oil
  • old gasoline
  • hobby chemicals
  • household cleaners
  • fungicides
  • mercury (including thermometers and thermostats)
  • household batteries
  • metal polishes
  • antifreeze
  • paint remover

 

 

Materials NOT ACCEPTED at HHW collections:

 

  • business wastes
  • tires
  • propane tanks
  • explosives/ammunition
  • Latex paint
  • smoke detectors
  • fire extinguishers
  • agricultural chemicals
  • medical wastes
  • lead-acid batteries
  • fireworks

 

 

 


 

© 2005 Illinois Poison Center, a program of the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council

 

 

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