HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE

   Some jobs around the home may require the use of products containing hazardous components. Such products include certain paints, cleaners, stains and varnishes, car batteries, motor oil, and pesticides. The leftover contents of such consumer products are known as “household hazardous waste.”
       Household hazardous waste may come from single or multiple family dwellings, hotels and motels, and other types of residences. Because of the waste substances' chemical natures, they can poison, corrode, explode, or ignite easily when handled improperly.
       Household hazardous wastes should not be disposed of improperly by pouring wastes down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers, or putting them out with the trash. The dangers of such disposal methods may not be immediately obvious, but certain types of household hazardous waste have the potential to cause physical injury to sanitation workers, contaminate septic tanks or wastewater treatment system, pollute bodies of water, present hazards to children and pets, and contaminate ground and surface water.

Hazardous Waste Hazardous waste includes any unused product that is poisonous, reactive, corrosive, or flammable. You can easily identify hazardous products by reading packaging labels. Look for key words such as Warning! Danger! Poison! Caution! Improper disposal of these products poses a risk to human health and the environment. The Solid Waste Alliance Communities (SWAC) strives to make safe disposal of hazardous waste convenient and economical. Check out our 2008 Household Hazardous Waste Collections for a convienient time and location for you. The collections are only available to residents of the SWAC communities. Residents from the SWAC towns can participate at any of the collection events not just the one located in their town. Residents do not pay a fee for disposal. The cost of collection is covered by a per capita fee assessed to each town.

Related, Interesting, and Helpful Links
MERCURY BANNED FROM DISPOSAL IN VERMONT LANDFILLS	As of July 1, 2007, it is illegal to dispose of mercury or products containing mercury (whether they are labelled or not) in Vermont landfills. This includes, but is not limited to, fluorescent bulbs and mercury containing lamps, laptops, mercury thermometers, mercury thermostats, all flat panel screens (example: computer monitors) or any other mercury containing device. Fluorescent lamps and electronic devices (computers, hand-held devices) (electronics collection) are collected at your local transfer station/recycling center for proper collection, recycling, and/or disposal (there are disposal fees in place at each transfer station/recycling center for these items). All other mercury containing products can be taken to the household hazardous waste collection events. or taken to the RCSWD hazardous waste depot during normal operating hours. There is no charge to residents for household hazardous waste collection and disposal. Businesses will pay a nominal disposal fee. Visit mercvt.org for detailed information.
Small Business Hazardous Waste Assistance	If your busines uses products that are corrosive, ignitable, reactive, or toxic, then you probably generate hazardous waste. Businesses that generate small quantities of hazardous waste are known as Conditionally Exempt Generators (CEGs). Are you a CEG?
Lead Sinkers Banned in Vermont	Effective January 1, 2007, it is ILLEGAL to use lead sinkers which weigh one-half ounce or less to fish in Vermont.
Fluorescent Bulb Disposal - Free	Did you know that a 60-watt incandescent bulb and a 14-watt compact fluorescent bulb provide the same amount of light? However, a fluorescent bulb's life expectancy is approximately 12,000 hours versus an incandescent bulb's 1,000 hours? Fluorescent bulbs use less electricity costing less to run as well as resulting in less air pollution from coal burning power plants. However, fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, a highly toxic metal. Did you know that mercury added (labeled) items have been banned from Vermont landfills since 1999. AND, as stated above, as of July 1, 2007, ALL mercury products (whether labeled or not) will be banned. It is extremely important that these bulbs (and other hazardous products) are disposed of properly. Fluorescent bulbs (and other hazardous products) are collected at the SWAC household hazardous waste collections. Many True Value and Ace hardware stores throughout Vermont collect the bulbs in Vermont free of charge. Visit Vermont's Mercury Reduction Campaign website (www.mercvt.org) and the Agency of Natural Resources website at http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/ead/sbcap/pdf/fs_mercurylamps.pdf for more information. Also check out the mercury spills or fluorescent light bulb breakage sheet , the Compact Fluorescent Bulbs fact sheet, and the Mercury Spills fact sheet.
Product Stewardship Institute	The Product Stewardship Institute conducts research, develops pilot projects, and facilitate dialogues to address specific product stewardship concerns working to lower management costs and reduce product lifecycle impacts.
Waste Management Division - Agency of Natural Resources - Hazardous Waste	A very thorough page with lots of useful information.

Related, Interesting, and Helpful Links

MERCURY BANNED FROM DISPOSAL IN VERMONT LANDFILLS

As of July 1, 2007, it is illegal to dispose of mercury or products containing mercury (whether they are labelled or not) in Vermont landfills. This includes, but is not limited to, fluorescent bulbs and mercury containing lamps, laptops, mercury thermometers, mercury thermostats, all flat panel screens (example: computer monitors) or any other mercury containing device. Fluorescent lamps and electronic devices (computers, hand-held devices) (electronics collection) are collected at your local transfer station/recycling center for proper collection, recycling, and/or disposal (there are disposal fees in place at each transfer station/recycling center for these items). All other mercury containing products can be taken to the household hazardous waste collection events. or taken to the RCSWD hazardous waste depot during normal operating hours. There is no charge to residents for household hazardous waste collection and disposal. Businesses will pay a nominal disposal fee. Visit mercvt.org for detailed information.

Small Business Hazardous Waste Assistance

If your busines uses products that are corrosive, ignitable, reactive, or toxic, then you probably generate hazardous waste. Businesses that generate small quantities of hazardous waste are known as Conditionally Exempt Generators (CEGs). Are you a CEG?

Lead Sinkers Banned in Vermont

Effective January 1, 2007, it is ILLEGAL to use lead sinkers which weigh one-half ounce or less to fish in Vermont.

Fluorescent Bulb Disposal - Free

Did you know that a 60-watt incandescent bulb and a 14-watt compact fluorescent bulb provide the same amount of light? However, a fluorescent bulb's life expectancy is approximately 12,000 hours versus an incandescent bulb's 1,000 hours? Fluorescent bulbs use less electricity costing less to run as well as resulting in less air pollution from coal burning power plants.

However, fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, a highly toxic metal. Did you know that mercury added (labeled) items have been banned from Vermont landfills since 1999. AND, as stated above, as of July 1, 2007, ALL mercury products (whether labeled or not) will be banned. It is extremely important that these bulbs (and other hazardous products) are disposed of properly. Fluorescent bulbs (and other hazardous products) are collected at the SWAC household hazardous waste collections. Many True Value and Ace hardware stores throughout Vermont collect the bulbs in Vermont free of charge.

Visit Vermont's Mercury Reduction Campaign website (www.mercvt.org) and the Agency of Natural Resources website at http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/ead/sbcap/pdf/fs_mercurylamps.pdf for more information. Also check out the mercury spills or fluorescent light bulb breakage sheet , the Compact Fluorescent Bulbs fact sheet, and the Mercury Spills fact sheet.

Product Stewardship Institute

The Product Stewardship Institute conducts research, develops pilot projects, and facilitate dialogues to address specific product stewardship concerns working to lower management costs and reduce product lifecycle impacts.

Waste Management Division - Agency of Natural Resources - Hazardous Waste

A very thorough page with lots of useful information.

Solid Waste Alliance Communities

(SWAC)

TRASH AND RECYCLING GUIDES

EVENTS

PROGRAMS

Fluorescent Bulb Disposal - Free