It’s holiday season and many of us are either clearing out our home before guests arrive or prepping our vehicle for a road trip to visit family and friends. Several common household items are considered hazardous waste – like old batteries and paint. Proper disposal of these materials can reduce your carbon footprint and make a positive impact on climate change. Follow these tips to know what materials are hazardous and how you can get rid of them without doing harm to the environment.

Hosting The Party

The date is locked, you’ve invited your guests and now it’s time to set the scene. While you clean your house for company, take stock of what items in your home you would like to get rid of and what you would like to keep. Tis the season of giving, and if you have clothing or shoes that you no longer need, consider donating them. King County’s Threadcycling program even accepts clothes in almost any condition. Whether they’re ripped, torn, holey, dirty, stained, missing buttons, have broken zippers, or worn-out or faded, they can be donated.

While you clean, be sure to identify hazardous materials that may need special disposal. These include:

• Aerosols
• Ammonia
• Antibacterial products
• Drain cleaner
• Fertilizer
• Fluorescent light bulbs
• Furniture polish

Visit the Haz Waste Program’s website to learn more about how and where you can take these products.

And now is a great time to clean out your medicine cabinet to make room for your out-of-town guests. Old medicines can be safely disposed of through the Secure Medicine Return program – find a location near you.

Time for a Road Trip!

While getting your car ready for a road trip, you may take note of old automotive products that need disposal. Automotive waste like old oil filters, automotive oil and fluids, and shop towels can also be disposed of through the Haz Waste Program. Learn more about what items you can drop off and how much.