|
Hazardous waste
disposal
This is not an official page of the City of Austin.
Yeah, you'd think that would be obvious...
Never put paints & household chemicals into your normal
trash!
When chemicals are compacted in the garbage truck,
they can
mix with other chemicals and produce toxic fumes which can harm
sanitation workers. Or they can drip out of the truck and harm pets,
people, and waterways when they're washed into the creek system. Even
if they make it to the landfill, the landfill can't keep all the
chemicals from washing away into waterways.
So what do you do with them instead?
Take them to the City's Hazardous
Waste Facility, 2514 Business Center Drive in Southest
Austin. Call 974-4343 for directions and hours, or visit
their website. (Available only for households. State
law won't allow the City to accept from businesses.)
And here are some other ways to get rid of specific items:
Ways to get rid of specific kinds of hazmat
 Motor Oil. If you need only to dispose of
waste motor oil, contact your area service station, quick oil-change
businesses, or auto parts store. Many of these establishments accept
waste oil. (If you can't find one, call the City's Solid Waste Services
hotline at 494-9400.)
Rechargeable batteries.
You can recycle these nearly anywhere -- Sears, Home Depot, Best Buy,
Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Target, Office Depot, and more. See Call2Recycle for
the complete list.
Button Batteries. Call the City at 974-4335 for a list of places
that accept button batteries.
Alkaline. No local store accepts these, because they're not
cost-effective to recycle. The only way to recycle these is to buy a big
collection box from an out-of-state recycler for $63, which
includes the postage to mail the batteries to them.
Paint. All latex paint can be dried out and thrown in
the
trash. If the can has paint in it you can mix cat litter in with
it to solidify it and then throw it in the trash. If it is a
considerable amount you can paint a piece of cardboard over and
over. You can also pour it in thin layers in a shallow tray and
let it dry. Once latex is dry it is safe to throw it in the
landfill. The lid needs to be off the container so that the
garbage collectors know the container is empty or dry. (The
Habitat for Humanity REstore no longer accepts paint.)
Computers. Here's a list of places
that accept old computers and electronics.
Other Items. For recycling items not listed above,
check
out the Ecology
Action website.
And in the future, try to avoid buying hazardous materials
in the
first place, so you don't have to worry about how to dispose of it.
What's considered hazardous waste?
The City's HWF (Hazardous Waste Facility) accepts
household quantities of
- pesticides, herbicides, & fertilizers
- paint & paint products (e.g., thinners)
- automotive chemicals (gas, oil, oil filters, antifreeze,
etc.)
- swimming pool chemicals
- photographic chemicals
- fluorescent bulbs
- aerosol cans, cleaning fluids, & other household
chemicals
- household & car batteries
The City does NOT accept:
- wastes generated by businesses
- unidentifiable materials
- radioactive materials (including smoke detectors)
- ammunition
- explosive or shock-sensitive materials
- compressed gases
- biologically active materials
Visit the City's HWF
website.
Be careful when buying paint
- When buying paint, consider getting eco-friendly, low-odor,
VOC-free paint. VOC's are Volatile
Organic
Compounds, which cause nervous system damage, give you headaches,
and create smog. No- and low-VOC paints are made by:
- When possible, use water-based paints instead of oil-based
paints.
- Only buy what you need. Don't "stock up" on paint you'll
never
use.
Avoid buying other chemicals in the first place
- Use sandpaper or a heat gun instead of a liquid furniture
stripper.
- Avoid purchasing any kind of pesticide. You'll avoid
accidental
poisoning of children and pets. Pesticides are also one of the most
harmful chemicals, harming human and animal life, and ruining waterways
(like the Colorado River).
Before you throw away...
What happens to the paint I get rid of?
Habitat for Humanity sells used building materials at
their
retail store. So, hopefully, someone may buy your old paint that you
donate. (310 Comal, 478-2165)
Good-quality latex paint collected at the City's Hazardous
Waste Facility is recycled into latex primer. Unrecyclable
oil-based paints and solvent are incinerated and destroyed.
What are the guidelines for using the facility?
- Facility is open only to residents of Austin or Travis
County, and not businesses.
- Sort paint cans by type (i.e., latex, oil-based,
lead-based).
- If a container has no label, place a label on the container
stating its contents.
- Please bring chemicals in sturdy boxes and sorted by type.
Wrap
glass containers in newspaper to prevent breakage.
- Do NOT transport chemicals in the passenger compartment of
your
vehicle; put them in your trunk.
- For your safety, please do not enter the facility on foot.
- NO SMOKING.
Related information
Have non-hazardous stuff you want to recycle? Here's
How to Recycle Just About Anything in Austin, Texas.
Last Update: June 2010
|
|
