ANN ARBOR – Washtenaw County offers waste diversion to residents via its Home Toxics Center.
Part of the county’s Water Resources Department, the center provides residents with a place to safely dispose of unwanted items and materials that could cause harm to the environment if disposed of in the trash.
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We’ve probably all done it: Tossed something in the trash without giving it a second thought, either because we didn’t know it could be harmful or didn’t know any other way to dispose of it. The garbage is a quick, easy solution. Until you learn that landfills are full of toxic waste.
According to Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, materials considered Household Hazardous Waste will have words like “caution,” “flammable,” “warning,” “poison” and “toxic” on the labels.
“If you have leftover, unwanted household materials that are hazardous, it is best to routinely take them to a local HHW collection if one is available,” reads EGLE’s website. “Never pour HHW into a storm drain or down a drain in your home. If a collection is not available, contact your trash hauler to see if there are special instructions for safely disposing of the material in the regular trash.”
Read: Washtenaw County announces County Clean-Up dates for 2023
Washtenaw County’s Home Toxics Center accepts dozens of items for safe disposal.
According to its website, the following items are accepted:
- Acids and Bases
- Adhesive, Glue
- Aerosols (excluding refrigerants)
- Automotive Fluids: Antifreeze, brake or power steering fluid, diesel fuel, gasoline motor oil, transmission fluid and windshield washer fluid
- Ballasts (must be removed from fixture) Some ballasts contain a highly toxic type of chemical called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). We cannot accept leaking/ruptured ballasts due to safety concerns. Please call ERG Environmental Services in Livonia at 734-437-9650 if your ballast is leaking or rupturing.
- Batteries - Battery packaging instructions Automotive (Lead Acid) Batteries: Please keep them separate from household batteries. Household Batteries: All types are accepted. Please follow the Battery packaging instructions to prevent fires
- Carbon Monoxide Detectors
- Compressed Gases: Butane tanks, helium tanks, propane tanks, MAPP gas
- Cooking Oil - The oil must be liquid and pourable. Canola, olive, peanut, vegetable, etc.
- Fabric Dye
- Fire Extinguishers
- Flammables: Gasoline/motor oil mix, kerosene and starting fluids
- Flares
- Fluorescent Light Tubes and Bulbs - Fluorescent lights packaging instructions CFLs, U-shaped tubes and tubes up to four feet in length are accepted.
- Handheld Electronics with built-in batteries: Cell phones, tablets, handheld gaming devices, Mp3 players and rechargeable electronics
- Home Cleaning Products Ammonia Bleach Polishes
- Home Repair Products: Glues and caulking
- Inhalers
- Liquid Asphalt and Roofing Tar
- Mercury - Mercury packaging instructions
- Mercury-Containing Devices - Mercury-containing devices packaging instructions: Thermometers and thermostats
- Mothballs
- Nail Polish and Remover
- Paint - Paints and stains packaging instructions Latex Paint: Only paint that is still liquid is accepted. If the cans are empty or the paint is totally dried out, put cans in the trash with the lid off. To dry latex paint at home so you can put it in the trash, add materials like clay-based cat litter to the paint to speed up the drying process. Oil Paint: Paints and primers- with or without lead accepted. Accepted liquid or dry, as well as rags and other items contaminated with oil paint.
- Paint Thinners, Removers, Strippers, Solvents, Stains, and Varnishes
- Pesticides - Any Michigan resident or business can bring these items to us as part of the Clean Sweep Program through the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD): Herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, DDT, chlordane, etc.
- Photography Chemicals
- Pool Chemicals
- Polishes and Cleaners
- Propane Tanks
- Rat and Rodent Poison
- Rust Remover
- Medical Sharps - Sharps packaging instructions
- Smoke Detectors
Here are the items that are not accepted:
- Batteries in a serial configuration. These batteries are connected in a way that each contributes to the overall voltage of batteries. These voltages are too high for our staff to handle safely.
- Business Waste
- Compost / Yard Waste
- Empty Containers
- Explosives, Ammunition, and Fireworks
- Fertilizer and plant food without herbicide, fungicide, or pesticide
- Foam Packaging and Containers (Styrofoam - Accepted at the Recycle Ann Arbor Drop-Off Station and Recovery Yard)
- Fluorescent tube bulbs longer than 4 feet in length (Accepted at the Recycle Ann Arbor Drop-Off Station and the Chelsea Transfer Station)
- Freon Appliances (PDF) (Accepted at the Recycle Ann Arbor Drop-Off Station and Recovery Yard, and Ypsilanti Township Compost Site, click here for more appliance disposal information)
- Froth-Pak Insulation (Do-it-yourself home foam sealants/insulations/adhesive cylinders with spray nozzles)
- Incandescent, Halogen, and LED Light Bulbs
- Medical Waste such as blood, gauze, linen, etc.
- Medication and Pharmaceuticals (Visit DontFlushDrugs.com to find local drop-off locations) Chemotherapy Waste: ERG Environmental Services
- Laboratory Chemicals (ERG)
- Oxygen and CO2 Tanks (ERG)
- Radioactive Materials (Contact EGLE for assistance)
- Recyclables like cardboard, plastics, glass, etc.
- Refrigerants
- Tires (Accepted at the Recycle Ann Arbor Drop-Off Station and Recovery Yard, and select Washtenaw County Clean-Up Day Events)
- Trash
The Washtenaw County Home Toxics Center is located at 705 N. Zeeb Rd.
For more information, visit its website.