Household Hazardous Waste

Household Hazardous Wastes (HHW) are those wastes produced in our households* that are hazardous in nature but are not regulated as hazardous waste under federal and state laws. Each person in Pennsylvania produces an average of four pounds of HHW each year, or about 25,000 tons/yr statewide. Such items are included as old paints and paint-related products, pesticides, pool chemicals, drain cleaners, degreasers, and other car care products. Such consumer waste products, if carelessly managed, can, and frequently do, create environmental and public health hazards.

*The term "households" includes multiple residences, hotels, motels, bunkhouses, ranger stations, crew quarters, campgrounds, picnic grounds, and day-use recreation areas.
Source: PA DEP

PA Department of Environmental Protection Collection- Additional Information

PA Department of Environmental Protection Collection Locations

For questions on specific disposal issues, contact a waste management chemist in your DEP Regional Offices. You can get additional information by contacting the PA HHW hotline at 800-346-4242.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE

Safe and reliable service for household chemicals, "hard to dispose of" items and other common hazardous waste.

MANAGING HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE THE RIGHT WAY

All waste streams are different. So is the way they’re handled. With common hazardous waste and "hard to dispose of" items, a more specialized approach is necessary. Due to safety concerns, not all items can be collected with your normal trash pickup and hazardous materials, if not properly disposed of, may have an adverse impact on the environment.

SOLUTIONS FOR HOUSEHOLD

HAZARDOUS WASTE

Waste Management has decades of experience managing household chemicals and hazardous materials responsibly and can remove them with our At Your Door Special Collection® service. Or, if the service isn’t available in your area, you can instead bring your excess to one of hundreds of convenient drop-off locations.

We’re here to help make disposing of these potentially dangerous items not only easy but safe for your household or your business.

AT YOUR DOOR SPECIAL COLLECTION®

In some communities, Waste Management can pick up your electronics, paints, garden chemicals, motor oil and more right from your home. Waste Management’s At Your Door Special Collection® is a service we offer to residents to make it easy to properly dispose of potentially hazardous household materials.

To verify that At Your Door℠ service is available in your area and schedule a collection, visit WMAtYourDoor.com or call 1-800-449-7587.

What Counts as a "Hard to Dispose of" Item?

Knowing what constitutes household hazardous waste can be confusing. We’re here to help.

Below is a list of common hazardous materials that can be collected through our At Your Door℠ service:

Automotive products: antifreeze, fluids, motor oil, oil filters, gasoline, polish and waxes
Batteries: home and vehicle batteries
Electronics: TVs, computers, laptops, cell phones, printers, fax machines, MP3 players, DVD/CD/cassette players and more
Fluorescent light bulbs and compact fluorescent lamps (CFL)
Mercury containing devices: thermometers and thermostats
Paint products: oil-based, latex and spray paints, caulk, wood preservative and wood stain
Garden chemicals: pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer and insecticides
Sharps: syringes, needles and lancets
Swimming pool chemicals
Other household chemicals: toilet bowl cleaner, shower/tile cleaner, carpet cleaner, rust remover and more
While we can take care of many forms of common household hazardous waste through the At Your Door℠ service, some items are not suitable for home collection:
Asbestos
Biological waste
Medicines and prescriptions
Ammunition and explosives
Commercial or business supplies
Unknown or unlabeled materials
Trash, including bulky items and furniture
Incandescent light bulbs
Appliances
Tires
Liquid mercury
Radioactive items
Containers over 5 gallons
Leaking or empty containers
Smoke detectors
Lamp fixtures
Construction-related materials
Improperly packaged items