Disposing of Household Chemicals

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Thank you for your interest in doing the right thing with your waste chemicals. If throwing them out with the garbage or pouring them down the drain didn't feel like the thing to do, you were right. A surprisingly small amount of some common household chemicals can pollute a lot of soil, air, and water. The DPW's hazardous waste programs are here to make "the right thing" as safe and convenient as possible.

When, Where, Who? We accept some of the most common hazardous materials daily at the Drop-off Center. Most other chemicals can be managed through our Household Chemical Drop-off Days. We are even able to accept hazardous wastes from some businesses.

Cost? Disposal of most of these materials is FREE if they come from your home in Emmet County. Businesses, institutions, and individuals from other counties are charged our cost. Details are found in each section below.

Household chemicals are accepted for disposal, reuse, or recycling on Household Chemical Drop-off Days (HCDD's). We hold four HCDD's each year, one in the spring, two in the summer, and one in the fall.

How to get started.

Just call (231) 348-0660 to make an appointment on a Drop-off Day. We require appointments for everyone's convenience and safety. Without appointments we find that too many people arrive at once. People get frustrated waiting and, with cars loaded with everything from lighter fluid to pesticides, a traffic jam could be dangerous - even blocking the way for emergency vehicles in the case of a spill or fire.

What can I bring?

The simpler question for us to answer is, "What can't I bring?" There are just three kinds of chemicals we will not take through the Household Chemical Drop-off program:

1. NO modern latex paints. Disposing of hazardous waste is extremely expensive. Latex paint is less toxic than other paints and most of it can safely be disposed of through a cheaper, simpler means. See our Paint Disposal page for more information.

2. NO explosives and ammunition. Call the State Police at (231) 347-8101 for information on disposing of these.

3. NO radioactive materials. Radioactive materials are found in small quantities in some brands of a few household items (smoke detectors, clocks, lantern wicks, dishes). At present there is no proper method for disposing of radioactive materials. You may be able to return these items to the manufacturer. If that isn't possible, please store them until a proper disposal method becomes available.

Some common examples of materials people bring to drop-off days include:

 

  • Pesticides, including weed killers;
  • Cleaners and polishes;
  • Aerosols;
  • Oil paints, other finishes, and their thinners;
  • Flammables; and
  • Adhesives, sealers, and tar.

Note: Motor oil, antifreeze, electronics, and batteries are all hazardous. For your convenience, they are collected for recycling at the Emmet County Drop-Off Center during their regular hours of 8-4 weekdays, and 8-3 Saturdays. Visit our Recycling Guide page for more information.

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Is there a fee?

There is no charge to Emmet County households to use Household Chemicals Drop-off Days. The program is covered by the rates most County residents pay to dispose of their garbage, whether through a private waste hauler or at the Emmet County Transfer Station.

Residents of other counties and qualifying businesses may use the service, however, we charge $1 per pound to cover our costs. This applies to civic and religious organizations and owners of rental housing too.

Less Toxic Alternatives

Emmet County is committed to handling collected materials in the most environmentally sound manner possible. However, even the best available options are extremely expensive and far from ideal.

The best solution to the problem of disposing of hazardous waste is to avoid buying toxic products. If you must buy toxic chemicals, try to buy just the amount you need and use it up.

There are also many less toxic alternatives to commonly used chemicals. If you would like more information search the internet, ask us about pamphlets, or contact a library or bookstore for one of the many books containing suggestions.

Here are a couple of books we recommend:

 

  • Clean House, Clean Planet: Clean Your House for Pennies a Day The Safe, Nontoxic Way by Karen Logan, Pocket Books, 1997.
  • Common-Sense Pest Control: Least-toxic solutions for your home, garden, pets, and community. by Olkowsi, Daar and Olkowski, Taunton Press, 1991 (available at public libraries in Emmet County).

The Waste Exchange

The saying, "One person's trash is another's treasure," is true of household hazardous waste. Many of the materials we receive are "waste" only because they are not of use to the original owner. So, along side the drop-off, we give away the "treasures" people bring in. We call the program the Waste Exchange, and the materials are offered for personal, professional, or organizational use on a firs-come-first-serve basis.

We offer the Exchange because incinerating or landfilling hazardous waste (in a special toxic waste facility) is extremely expensive. In many cases it costs more to dispose of the chemicals than it did to purchase them. By properly using materials up, you can help us control disposal costs.

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