26+ Items You Should Never Throw in the Regular Trash in New York
We're just days away from Spring now, which means houses all across the state will be working on their Spring cleaning!
But, before you get lost in the "trash everything" mindset, there are a few things you should know about some of the miscellaneous items you might be planning to chuck.
Lessons from Local House Fires
Last year, there were multiple instances of house and dumpster fires that started as a result of certain items being disposed of improperly.
Last August, a trash fire erupted in the Westchester area.
Hazmat Teams rushed to the scene to eventually discover that the flames were caused by an improperly disposed of lithium-ion battery.
Read More Here: Westchester Dumpster Fire Reminds Residents Why This Should Never Be Thrown in Your Regular Trash
Items That You Can't Dispose of in Regular Trash
Lithium ion batteries aren't the only items that pose a risk. On top of that, fire isn't the only risk at play when we're talking about hazardous items.
For example, items like fire extinguishers, or full or partially full aerosol cans pose a risk because of the pressurization. If these items were to get punctured by other trash, chemicals within the pressurized vessels could leak out.
So, what else do you have to be careful of throwing away?
- Fluorescent Lightbulbs
- Rechargeable (Ni-Cd) Batteries
- Pharmaceutical Drugs
- Mercury Thermometers & Thermostats
- Oven, Toilet & Drain Cleaners
- Spot Removers
- Stains & Varnishes
- Swimming Pool Chemicals
- Furniture, Floor, and Metal Polish
- Paint Thinner
- Pesticides, Herbicides, and Insecticides
- Engine Degreasers
- Rubber Cement/Airplane Glue
- Oil & Wet Latex/Water Based Paints
- Dry Cleaning Solvents
- Lighter Fluids
- Photo Chemicals
- Auto & Tractor Batteries
- Car Waxes
- Wood Preservatives
- Fire Extinguishers
- Transmission Fluid/Break Fluid
- Resins, Rosens & Adhesives
- Septic Tank Degreasers
- Kerosene and Gasoline
- Motor Oil & Antifreeze
So, How Do You Dispose of These Items?
Each county typically will host a hazardous waste collection event where you can bring any of the materials listed above to properly dispose of.
Orange County is the latest to share news of their collection event.
The Village of Monroe recently announced that on Saturday, March 22, residents in the area can visit OCTS #1 Maintenance Garage at 21 Training Center Lane in New Hampton, NY to get rid of any of the items listed above at the county's annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event. They will be collecting items between 9AM and 3PM rain or shine!
Items Not to Bring
While there's a ton you can unload at this Hazardous Waste event, there are some limits.
Items you cannot bring to this event include:
- Lithium-Ion Batteries
- Tires
- BBQ Propane Tanks
- Fireworks
- Ammunition
- Explosives
- Medical Sharps
- Controlled Substances
- Computers/VCRs
- Home Appliances
- Smoke Detectors
To read more about where you can dispose of other miscellaneous items, you can visit your local government page.
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