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Household Hazardous Waste

Yakima County > Public Services > Solid Waste > Household Hazardous Waste

• What is a Household Hazardous Waste?
• Household and Small Business Waste Collection Facility
• Medicine Disposal
• Small Business Waste/Small Quantity Generators
• Disposing of Household Hazardous Wastes
• Lower Valley Disposal Options
• Materials Exchange Program
• CFL (Compact Fluorescent Bulb) Recycling
• Oil Disposal
• Household Battery Disposal
• Pesticide Container Recycling
• Freon Containing Appliances
• Proper Disposal of Smoke Alarms

What is a Household Hazardous Waste?

You can identify whether a product is considered hazardous by reading the label. Any product labeled with the following is considered hazardous:

Materials Exchange Program

 The Hazardous Waste Facility saves unused or partially used items(must be in original containers) for their Materials Exchange Program including:

• Paint, Stain and Primer
• Automotive products
• Gardening Chemicals
• Household Cleaners

These products are available for FREE for any individual, business or service group that could use them.  This type of recycling saves chemicals from entering the landfill and helps others who need a product for another use.  The type of products the program receives varies widely, depending on what customers have brought to the facility.  The Materials Exchange Program operates Wednesday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located in our Household Hazardous Waste Facility at the Terrace Heights Landfill.

Medicine Disposal

Washington state is working on a state-wide method of medication disposal.  Until that time, please follow these instructions:

FIRST. Do not flush medicines down the toilet or drain. Flushing drugs adds to pollution in our waters because wastewater and septic systems are not designed to treat these chemicals.
SECOND. Use community drug take-back programs for proper disposal, if available.  (none are currently available in Yakima County)
LAST CHOICE. If a collection program for unwanted medicines is not available near you, mix your medicines with an undesirable substance, such as cat litter or used coffee grounds, put this into a container with a lid, conceal personal information and place the sealed container in the trash. Make sure your trash cannot be accessed by children, pets, or others who might be looking in garbage for drugs.
           
Learn more at www.medicinereturn.com   or A safer way to dispose of unwanted household medicines. Please call 1-800-732-9253 for medicine return locations or other questions.

How to Properly Dispose of Household Hazardous Wastes

When a less-toxic substitute is not available, buy only what you need, use the product as intended, and closely follow label directions. If you have left-over products like paint, check with friends and neighbors to see if they can use the remaining portions.

If you have unused, unwanted hazardous household products take them to either Yakima County's permanent Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility located at the Terrace Heights landfill, the Cheyne Landfill or the Lower Valley Transfer Station.  Once collected the products will be recycled or properly disposed of in a hazardous landfill.

• Household Hazardous Waste Brochure
• Household Hazardous Waste Brochure (Spanish)

Free CFL (Compact Fluorescent Bulb) Recycling

Free CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light) Bulb Recycling is now available at all Home Depot stores nationwide.  For more information click on link below:

• Home Depot Eco Options

What to do if a CFL or fluorescent tube breaks

• Spills, Disposal and Site Cleanup (from the EPA)

Small Business Waste/Small Quantity Generators

You may have a business that is not normally associated with the production of hazardous waste. But if you take the time to inventory your business you may discover that you have quite a collection of paints, solvents, printing supplies or other familiar looking products. None of them can legally be put into the garbage dumpster or taken to the county landfill.

Household and Small Business Waste Collection Facility

Homeowners and small businesses can bring their household hazardous and business waste to the Yakima County Household and Small Business Waste Collection Facility (HSBWCF) free of charge. The location of this facility is: 7151 Roza Hill Drive, Yakima, WA 98901.  Contact (509) 574-2450 for more information.  Businesses are required to schedule an appointment.

Agricultural Wastes will not be accepted at the HSBWCF.

The hours of operation for the HSBWCF are 7:30 AM - 5 PM Wed., Thurs., Friday and
9 AM - 5 PM on Saturday.

Types of materials accepted are:

Lower Valley Disposal Options

Yakima County provides household hazardous waste bins at the Lower Valley Transfer Station and Cheyne landfill for homeowners to drop off automotive batteries, household batteries, used motor oil, paint and antifreeze. Please let the landfill attendant know you have these items to drop off. You will be given a form to complete. Be sure to fill out the form and return it to the landfill attendant prior to leaving the landfill.

Only small quantities, no containers over 5 gallons will be accepted. Quantities over this size should schedule an appointment with the Household and Small business Waste Collection Facility at 574-2472.  We cannot accept any agricultural wastes.

Oil, What is the problem?

Many of us are concerned when a super tanker has an oil spill, but few of us realize the importance of our own waste management practices. It is estimated that 60% of automotive oil changes today are performed by do-it-yourselfers. In Yakima County, that amounts to over 20,000 gallons of used oil per month! Just one quart of oil will foul the taste of 250,000 gallons of water, that's more water than 30 people drink in their lifetime! During engine use, oil picks up toxic contaminants, carcinogens and heavy metals (lead, zinc, arsenic, chromium and cadmium). If used oil is not properly recycled, these toxics are carried into the environment and can disrupt decomposition in septic systems; as well as contaminate the soil and water. Proper disposal of oil includes taking it to one of Yakima County's collection sites. It is against the law to dump oil on the ground or into surface waters of Washington. Our goal is to recycle and re-refine all oil collected through this program.

Yakima County has various oil collection sites located throughout the county. These sites are for clean, uncontaminated, used oil generated from households. Take your oil in sealed containers to the site nearest you. Once you are there please fill out the blue form and deposit into the holder. You may then pour your used oil into the tank and be sure to take your container home with you to use again.

. . . OR TAKE YOUR USED OIL TO THE LANDFILL OR TRANSFER STATION NEAREST YOU

Household Battery Disposal

Household batteries contain a variety of heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, silver and cadmium. If disposed of improperly they can cause injury to animals and the environment.

Battery Disposal Sites

Small household batteries can be recycled at any one of the small battery collection bins located in participating businesses countywide.

Pesticide Container Recycling

Please contact Northwest Ag Plastics for disposal and recycling of agricultural containers. Recyclable plastic can include plastic containers that held pesticides, micro-nutrients, adjuvants and cleaners. Northwest Ag Plastics also recycles plastic containers generated from other industries such as golf courses and lawn and tree care companies.

Container recycling is provided at no charge.

Northwest Ag Plastics, Inc.
350 Hoff Road Moxee, WA 98936
(509) 457-3850

Freon Containing Appliances

Many appliances we use every day contain chemicals that are harmful to the ozone layer -- Earth's natural protection against the ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Refrigerators, freezers, window and car air conditioners are some examples of appliances that contain refrigerants commonly known as "Freon".

The danger of Freon being released into the atmosphere prompted Congress to amend federal laws that prohibit the release of ozone-depleting refrigerants into the atmosphere. Since July 1, 1992, it has been a requirement that Freon be removed from appliances before they are disposed of.

Appliances are collected at our landfill where a certified technician recovers (removes) the Freon, which is then purified for use again. The scrap metal from these appliances is also recycled and reused for other products. If you have any questions about whether an appliance contains Freon, please call the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 574-2472.

Pacific Power Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling Program:
Say "See ya later, refrigerator" and earn a cash incentive from Pacific Power. Do you have an old refrigerator or freezer in your garage or basement? Are you planning to buy a new refrigerator or freezer? If so, please contact us to pick up your old one. We’ll properly recycle your old unit, and you’ll receive a cash incentive for taking part. http://www.pacificpower.net/Article/Article50124.html?gclid=COaSvP-6yJgCFR0Sagodkiza2A

Proper Disposal of Smoke Alarms

The most common type of smoke alarm is an ionization alarm, which contains a very small amount of Americium 241, a synthetic isotope which emits both alpha and gamma rays.  The Americium is shielded by a metal chamber within the plastic casing of the alarm.  On your wall, this material poses little threat; however, when an alarm is broken open in a landfill, it can present a health hazard.  For this reason, the law requires that all smoke alarms be labeled as containing radioactive content.
There are two ways to dispose of your smoke alarm:

• It is legal to dispose of your ionization alarm in the garbage, however, we encourage you to first remove the battery.   Recycle batteries at our household hazardous waste facility or drop off site Household Battery Disposal
• Return the smoke alarm to the manufacturer. They are mandated by the Nuclear Regulatory law 10 CFR 32.27 to see that the radioactive waste is disposed at a nuclear waste disposal facility. When sending back a smoke alarm, remove the battery but do NOT dissemble the smoke alarm in any way, and include a note that the alarm is intended for disposal. The smoke alarm should be returned to the manufacturer or store by UPS ground mail (not airmail). No special shipping is needed for your smoke alarm.

Brand Name	Company	Mailing Address	Phone
American Sensors	Dicon Global	20 Steelcase Rd., W., Unit 3, Markham, Ontario L3R 1B2 Canada	(800) 387-4219
BRK	First Alert	Cusomer Service Disposal, 3901 Liberty St. Rd. Aurora, IL 60504	(800) 323-9005
Dicon Global	Dicon Global	20 Steelcase Rd., W., Unit 3, Markham, Ontario L3R 1B2 Canada	(800) 387-4219
Family Safety Products	Family Safety Products	Returns, 2879 Remico St. SW, Grandville, MI 49418	(616) 530-6540
Firex	Invensys Controls	"For Disposal Only", 28C Leigh Fisher Blvd., El Paso, TX 79906	(800) 445-8299
First Alert	First Alert	Cusomer Service Disposal, 3901 Liberty St. Rd. Aurora, IL 60504	(800) 323-9005
Garrison	Dicon Global	20 Steelcase Rd., W., Unit 3, Markham, Ontario L3R 1B2 Canada	(800) 387-4219
Gentex	Gentex	Returns, 600 N. Centennial St., Zeeland, MI 49464	(800) 436-8391
Honeywell	Honeywell	Returns, 1985 Douglas Dr. N., Dock 4 (MN10), Golden Valley, MN 55422	(800) 328-5111
Kidde	Kidde	1394 S. Third St., Mebane, NC 27302	(800) 880-6788
LifeSaver	Kidde	1394 S. Third St. Mebane, NC 27302	(800) 880-6788
Masterguard	Masterguard	801 Hammond St., #200 Coppell, TX 75019	(877) 453-3473
Nighthawk	Kidde	1394 S. Third St. Mebane, NC 27302	(800) 880-6788
North-American	Dicon Global	20 Steelcase Rd., W., Unit 3, Markham, Ontario L3R 1B2 Canada	(800) 387-4219
System Sensor	System Sensor	3825 Ohio Ave. St. Charles, IL 60174	(800) 736-7672
Triad Safety Systems	Triad Safety Systems	4595 Airport Rd. Kearney, NE 68847	(800) 240-7681