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Your local solid waste management district (SWMD) is your first source of disposal and recycling information. The summary of SWMDs provides information about the structure and responsibilities of Ohio’s SWMDs.
If something is still useable, donate it to a friend, neighbor or non-profit organization. You can refer to these helpful websites for more reuse and recycling opportunities.
Disposal options: Contact your local solid waste hauler or find an Ohio EPA licensed solid waste facility.
Ohio EPA’s Answer Place has frequently asked questions about household hazardous waste. You may also find our Guide to Safe Management of Household Hazardous Waste helpful.
Table of Contents
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)
HHW includes cleaning products, solvents/paint removers, stains/varnishes, unknown substances, as well as aerosols/propane tanks, automotive fluids/used oil/other fuels, batteries, electronics, fluorescent bulbs/termostats/thermometers, paint and pesticides/fertilizers.
Some HHW can injure sanitation workers, contaminate septic tanks or wastewater treatment systems if poured down drains or toilets, and present hazards to children and pets if left around the house. Contact your SWMD or refer to this list of SWMD collection events to see if there is a local HHW recycling opportunity near you.
Ohio EPA’s Answer Place has frequently asked questions about household hazardous waste. You may also find our Guide to Safe Management of Household Hazardous Waste helpful.
Aerosols/Propane Gas Cylinders
Never recycle or dispose of aerosol cans or propane gas cylinders unless they are empty. Containers can explode or catch fire, injuring sanitation workers. Many household recycling opportunities accept empty aerosol cans. Contact your SWMD or refer to this list of SWMD collection events to see if there is a recycling opportunity near you.
Aerosol Cans
If an aerosol can is not empty and the product is non-toxic, the contents can be discharged into a box (or onto trash) outside and away from ignition sources, children and pets. Protect your eyes and skin and avoid breathing vapors. Allow the box to dry outside, and dispose of the dry box and empty can in your regular trash or recycle (Caution: Do not dispose of the wet box into a closed garbage can because vapors can build up inside the can and could cause a hazard).
Propane Gas Cylinders
Take the cylinder to a propane retailer so it can be re-filled. You can refer to this recyclers search engine and search for “gas cylinder recyclers.” A propane gas container can be recycled as metal scrap or disposed of only after the valve is removed by a professional and there is a hole that clearly shows it is empty.
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Earth 911 lists recycling opportunities for many materials.
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Find your local Solid Waste Management District for local disposal and recycling information.
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Ohio EPA’s Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention offers many services for businesses. This recyclers and environmental service providers search engine is available for businesses to locate recyclers for many common materials.
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Click here for information
about homeowner
pollution prevention.
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Recycling Information
Recycling's benefits are found at every stage of the life cycle of a consumer product - from the mining of raw materials through use and final disposal.
Recycling reduces greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.
When you purchase recycled-content products, you support the market for recycled materials. This is part of the recycling picture.
U.S. EPA provides information
about buying recycled products.
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Earth 911 lists recycling opportunities for many materials.
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Find your local Solid Waste Management District for local disposal and recycling information.
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Automotive Fluids (antifreeze, gasoline, used oil, transmission and power steering fluid) and Other Fuels
Auto service centers and auto parts stores may accept automotive fluids from residents. These fluids usually include antifreeze, used oil, transmission fluid and power steering fluid. This list of registered used oil collection centers is available and you can also refer to the Ohio EPA fact sheets Handling Used Oil from Your Home and Burning Used Oil in a Space Heater.
Automotive fluids such as gasoline and brake fluid are dangerous because they are flammable or reactive. The Ohio EPA fact sheet Handling Gasoline, Kerosene, Diesel Oil and Heating Oil from Your Home may be helpful. Contact your SWMD or refer to this list of SWMD collection events to see if there is a recycling opportunity near you.
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Used Oil Information
One gallon of oil can
produce an oil slick up to
eight acres in size.
Used oil from one oil change
in a car can ruin 1 million gallons of water (a year's supply for 50 people) or make four acres of soil unusable for planting for decades.
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Click here for information
about homeowner
pollution prevention.
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Batteries
Many of the entities contained in this list of battery recyclers will accept batteries from residents. Retailers of lead-acid batteries (car batteries) are required to take your old battery for recycling when you buy a new one and many computer and retail stores will often accept rechargeable batteries for recycling. You can also contact your SWMD or refer to this list of SWMD collection events to see if there is a recycling opportunity near you. Batteries Plus stores will also accept most battery types from residents for free.
Fact sheets with information about Household Batteries and Lead-Acid Batteries Generated from the Home are available as well.
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Earth 911 lists recycling opportunities for many materials.
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Click here for information
about homeowner
pollution prevention.
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Electronics
Many electronic items are recyclable. This list of computer and electronic non-profit and charity refurbishers is available or you can contact your SWMD for local recycling information. You can also refer to this list of SWMD collection events to see if your SWMD offers electronics collections.
More information is available on Ohio EPA’s Electronics Waste Management page and in the Electronic Equipment from Your Home fact sheet. U.S. EPA’s Plug into eCycling website identifies electronics manufacturer and retailer take-back programs.
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Find your local Solid Waste Management District for local disposal and recycling information.
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Fluorescent Bulbs/Thermostats/Thermometers
Fluorescent bulbs contain small amounts of mercury and recycling is recommended. Home Depot and Lowes offer free recycling of compact fluorescent bulbs at all of its store locations. Also, Ohio EPA maintains this list of computer, fluorescent lamp and ballast recyclers – those with “ML” in the last column accept mercury-containing lamps from businesses. They may take bulbs and thermostats from citizens for a fee. You can also contact your SWMD or refer to this list of SWMD collection events to see if there is a local recycling opportunity near you.
How should you dispose of a broken bulb? For information about proper handling and disposal of fluorescent bulbs, see Ohio EPA’s fluorescent bulb fact sheet, which includes guidelines for cleaning up a broken bulb.
Mercury is also found in other household items such as old thermometers and thermostats. For more information, see Ohio EPA’s Mercury in the Household fact sheet and the Mercury Reduction Program.
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Fluorescent Bulb Information
First things first: put your
used bulb, thermostat, etc.
in a sealable bag in case
of an accident.
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) use up to 75 percent less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb.
The risks from breaking a CFL are small. The amount of mercury in a CFL is very small, about five milligrams, or the size of the tip of a ball point pen.
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Paint
This list of paints and coatings recyclers is available. You can also contact your SWMD or refer to this list of SWMD collection events to see if there is a recycling opportunity near you.
Latex paint can be dried out and put in the trash. You can purchase paint hardeners from paint and home improvement stores, or you can mix the paint with cat litter or sawdust. Leave the lid off to speed up the drying process and to allow your trash hauler to verify that the paint is not liquid. Do not leave open cans near ignition sources, pets or children.
You may find the Ohio EPA fact sheet Storing and Disposing of Paint from Your Home helpful.
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Earth 911 lists recycling opportunities for many materials.
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Recycling Economic Facts
The recycling and reuse industry is a significant force
in the U.S. economy,
and makes a vital contribution
to job creation and
economic development.
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Pesticides/Fertilizers
Ohio EPA’s pesticides fact sheet outlines proper use, storage, disposal and alternatives to chemical pesticides. Contact your SWMD or refer to this list of SWMD collection events to see if there is a pesticide recycling or disposal opportunity near you.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide and Fertilizer Regulation Section has valuable information. Another source for pesticide assistance is Ohio’s Agricultural Extension Offices. Ohio State University’s Extension Office offers this list of county agricultural offices.
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In 2000, almost 100,000 jobs
in Ohio were directly
dependent on recycling.
In 2000, Ohio recycling
resulted in $22.5 billion in
sales and an annual payroll
of $3.6 billion.
Landfills and incinerators provide far fewer jobs than
the recycling industry.
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Appliances
Most appliances can be easily recycled at a scrap yard. Refer to this list of appliance recyclers or contact your SWMD for appliance recycling information. Refrigerators, air-conditioners and humidifiers contain environmentally harmful refrigerants that should be removed before recycling. If the scrap yard is not certified to remove refrigerants, then you should have the appliance tagged by a certified refrigerator service company after the refrigerant is removed. You can also refer to US EPA’s information about safe disposal of refrigerated household appliances.
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Recycling Information
Recycling creates jobs, contributes feedstock to manufacturing, and adds value to the entire U.S. economy.
It takes 20 times more energy
to make aluminum from
bauxite ore than using
recycled aluminum.
Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to power a computer for three hours.
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| Household Recyclables
Residential recycling services are usually provided through drop-off recycling or curbside pick-up.
Drop-off recycling facilities look similar to dumpsters and are usually located in public areas, such as grocery store parking lots or fire stations. Contact your SWMD for a list of drop-off recycling facilities near you.
Curbside pick-up of recyclables may be offered as part of a household’s trash service. Contact your SWMD or waste service provider for more information.
Materials commonly collected by residential recycling programs include: glass bottles; aluminum and steel cans; #1 and #2 plastic bottles; newspaper; magazines; office paper; and cardboard. For other materials, contact your SWMD to find out what recycling opportunities exist.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Recycling and Litter Prevention has information about the benefits of recycling in addition to their many other recycling tools and resources.
U.S. EPA’s Reduce, Reuse and Recycle website is also a good resource.
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Find your local Solid Waste Management District for local disposal and recycling information.
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Click here for information
about homeowner
pollution prevention.
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Pharmaceutical/Prescription Drugs
Ohio EPA regulations do not prohibit homeowners from throwing medications in the trash. However, you should refer to the National Drug Control Policy fact sheet for guidance about proper drug disposal, since there are controlled substances with specific disposal guidelines. Pharmacies, hospitals or SWMDs may hold local collections. Contact your SWMD or pharmacy to see if any local opportunities exist.
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Pharmaceutical Information
Do not flush prescription drugs down the toilet or drain unless the label or accompanying patient information specifically instructs you to do so.
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Earth 911 lists recycling opportunities for many materials.
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Tires
These lists of scrap tire facilities and scrap tire transporters are available to see if there are local companies that will accept your tires. You can contact your SWMD or refer to this list of SWMD collection events to see if your SWMD offers free scrap tire collections. Most tire dealers and some Ohio EPA licensed solid waste facilities will also accept tires for a fee.
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In 2007, Ohio recycled
almost 13 million tons, or
40.4 percent, of its waste.
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Yard Waste/Food Scraps
Your household’s trash service may provide yard waste collection. Contact your SWMD or waste service provider for more information about yard and food scraps recycling opportunities near you. You can also refer to this list of Ohio EPA registered composting facilities to locate nearby facilities.
Yard waste and kitchen food scraps make up 25 percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream. Backyard composting is a great way to recycle this waste. Many homeowners find backyard composting easier than bagging their yard-waste, storing it, and hauling it to the curb or drop-off center. This Citizen’s Guide to Composting has more information.
U.S. EPA’s website has information on composting and a guide to creating your own compost pile.
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Composting Facts and Figures
Information about
backyard pollution prevention
is available.
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Food scraps make up almost 12 percent of our waste stream.
Ohio EPA’s Food Scraps Initiative promotes programs for grocery stores, cafeterias, universities, etc.
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Helpful Websites
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Call 2 Recycle: Recycles rechargeable batteries and cell phones for free.
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Earth 911: This site lists recycling opportunities for all types of materials.
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Electronic Industries Alliance: Identifies electronic equipment recyclers around the country.
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Habitat ReStores: Accepts home improvement goods for resale.
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Recycle a Bulb: Information on recycling compact fluorescent light bulbs.
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These sites offer more options for your unwanted items:
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Find your local Solid Waste Management District for local disposal and recycling information.
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