Household Hazardous Waste Disposal
Disposing of Household Hazardous Waste
Each year, the Bennington County Solid Waste Alliance holds three household hazardous waste collection events. One is held in the Town of Bennington, the second in the northern part of the county, and the third to serve the Towns of Stamford and Searsburg. These are open to residents and small businesses of the 13 towns in the Alliance to dispose of substances that are toxic, corrosive, and poisonous or that have similar warnings. Residents and businesses may also take materials to the Rutland County Solid Waste District at their facility on Gleason Rd. in Rutland. An additional fee is charged to residents outside of the Rutland County Solid Waste service area.
These items can NOT be disposed of in normal trash.
They are labled with warnings such as, "CAUSTIC, TOXIC, CORROSIVE, POISON, FLAMMABLE, DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION, USE IN AN OPEN ENVIRONMENT"
The kinds of items include, but are not limited to:
Household:
Drain cleaner, floor cleaner, oven cleaner, toilet cleaner, rug and upholstery cleaners, furniture or metal polish, bleach, ammonia, disinfectants, air fresheners, photography chemicals, chemistry sets, moth balls, naphtha, camphor, nail polish remover, perfume, alcohol, appliances with Freon.
Garage:
Gasoline, kerosene, antifreeze, wiper fluid, brake or transmission fluid, engine degreaser, carburetor cleaner, radiator flusher, car wax/polish, driveway sealant.
Workbench:
Oil-based paint, stains, varnishes, linseed oil, fillers, putty, adhesives, resins, solvents, rust treatments, acids, hydrogen peroxide, roofing tar, tar remover, creosote.
Yard:
Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, other poisons, chemical fertilizers, pool chemicals, septic system additives, animal repellants, no-pest strips, and flea control products.
Mercury Containing Items:
Mercury items, such as thermometers and some thermostats should be taken to HHW events. Fluorescent tubes and CFLs are accepted at many retailers and some transfer stations.
Appliances with Freon:
Refrigerators, air conditioners and dehumidifiers are accepted at most transfer stations for a fee.
To reduce household hazardous waste, try to purchase only what you need and try to use all the material if at all possible. Visit Department of Environmental Conservation for more information. Also, see if any of the Alternatives to Household Hazardous Waste will work for you.
Visit the Vermont Department of Health ‘Healthy Homes’ page for more ideas.