Did you know that potentially harmful items could be lurking around every corner of your home? Some items as innocent as cleaning products and paint can present safety concerns if not managed properly. If generated by a household, these materials are not required to be handled as hazardous waste and can often be placed in the regular trash. However, we encourage you to dispose of these items in a more environmentally protective manner where available.
Oil-based paints are hazardous for their flammable characteristics and may contain toxic solvents such as xylene and toluene. Water-based paints are less hazardous, however, they may contain ingredients that can be harmful to your health.
The good news is that partially used paint can last years when stored properly! To extend the life of your paint:
1. Cover the opening with plastic wrap.
2. Put the lid over the plastic wrap, ensuring it's on securely.
3. Turn the can upside down. The paint creates a seal around the secure lid, keeping it fresh until you need it again.
If your can is less than one-fourth full, remove the lid and place the can in a well-ventilated area, allowing the paint to dry out. Once dry, throw the can in the trash.
For cans of paint that are more than one-fourth full, consider donating it to friends or family rather than disposing of it. If you can’t find anyone to use the paint, check your area for Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection events or disposal locations.
Automotive batteries and rechargeable batteries, like those found in laptops, phones, and cameras, should never be placed in curbside recycling or trash. These batteries need to be properly disposed of at a local HHW facility or approved drop-off site.
Single-use or dry-cell batteries – like 9V, AA, and AAA – can be legally thrown in the trash. To reduce the space these batteries take up in our landfills, replace them with rechargeable alternatives whenever you can.
For more information, check out our article What Do I Do with Used Batteries?
Prescription and over-the-counter medications that are expired or no longer used should always be appropriately discarded. TCEQ discourages flushing of any pharmaceuticals. Some pharmaceuticals are not biodegradable and may contaminate waterways, hurt aquatic wildlife, and end up in our drinking water if they are flushed down the drain.
To make a drug unusable, place the drugs in an impermeable, nondescript container or sealable bag and fill it with coffee grounds or kitty litter, then throw it in the garbage.
If you are not sure how to dispose of expired or unwanted medications, the safest and most environmentally friendly way to discard medicine is through a take-back program. Generally, all expired prescriptions and over-the-counter medications in pill form are accepted. For other types of medications, such as liquids or inhalers, check with the specific program to see if they accept those items. To find a drug collection site near you, find a pharmacy disposal kiosk or use the DEA’s locator tool.
Households with members who do self-injections for medical reasons may produce a large number of syringes and sharps. Needles and syringes should never be thrown loosely in the trash or recycling bin as they can stick out, posing a risk to trash collectors. Sharps should be placed in a hard, opaque plastic or metal container with a tightly secured lid and labeled as “sharps,” “syringes,” or “needles.” Once full, you can dispose of the container in the household trash – NOT the recycling bin.
If a health-care worker from a home health-care agency is administering injections to a patient at a patient’s home, then the sharps are considered medical waste and must be taken back to the agency and disposed of through a medical waste management system.
Some household cleaning products can pose a health and environmental risk if they are not properly disposed of. Ammonia, bleach, toilet cleaners, drain cleaners, lye-based cleaners, carpet cleaners, and some dishwashing detergents can contain strong chemicals that pollute waterways and drinking water when poured down the drain in large amounts.
Be sure to never mix chemicals because they can form a toxic gas or extreme heat. If you have large amounts of extra cleaners that you don’t need, you can donate them to a friend or family member or take them to a designated HHW facility.
Fluorescent light bulbs – including tubes, compact fluorescent bulbs, high-intensity discharge lamps, bug zappers, black lights, and neon lights – contain a small amount of mercury. Mercury is a toxic pollutant that can harm human health and negatively impact wildlife and natural ecosystems. Although mercury is not released when the bulb is intact, if the bulb breaks, some mercury is released as mercury vapor. To learn more about proper disposal instructions and recycling options for fluorescent light bulbs, check out our article on How to Recycle Lights and Bulbs.
Don’t be alarmed if you have one or more of these items in your home! If they are stored and handled properly, they are generally safe to use. For more information on how to manage and dispose of HHW, read our other article about HHW and visit TCEQ’s Household Hazardous Waste Guide.
