What do you do with old, unused, empty cans or expired products you have at home? When you have old products, expired, leftover, or unused items at home, the first place to think of is placing them in the trash can. However, you will be surprised that some trash needs special handling and arrangements to dispose of. These are the types of hazardous waste materials that can cause injuries and affect the environment.
But how do you differentiate between hazardous trash and non-hazardous? Garbage is categorized as toxic if it poses the risk of igniting flames, releasing toxic gases, can react, corrode, or explodes. Below are four hazardous waste materials you should never throw in the trash for your safety and the safety of trash handling guys.
Never throw these hazardous waste materials in the trash.
1. Electronic waste
Do you have old electronic waste that needs to go? You probably upgrade your electronics like TVs, laptops, desktop computers, cameras, iPods, video game devices, printers, e.t.c. to the latest sleek devices. And this means you have to dispose of the old ones. Electronic waste is toxic to the landfills, and you should never toss them in the roll off dumpster or the trash bin regardless of the size. E-waste has harmful materials like lead, arsenic, and cadmium.
Please arrange for a specialized pick up of your electronic waste, or you can consider hauling them to an e-waste recycling facility.
2. Hazardous chemicals.
Automotive fluids, leftover pesticides, adhesives, ink cartridges, solvents, bleach, and corrosives are also hazardous waste you should not throw in the trash. These chemicals are dangerous if you inhale, ingest, or pour them on the soil. Some chemicals like bleach can corrode the skin, and others are highly flammable and can put you at risk of fire accidents. If you have unwanted chemicals, consider safe alternatives like looking up for a local hazardous waste facility to come and safely dispose of.
When buying such chemicals, ensure that you get the exact amounts you need to avoid having excess toxic substances. Consider sustainable cleaning products to reduce the quantities of hazardous waste you store. Don’t mix chemicals or store them in a different container other than the original container they were packaged in and labeled.
Because of the harmful nature of chemicals, we don’t accept them in the dumpster, but we can guide you on disposing of such waste.
3. Medical waste
Medical waste is also another highly toxic waste you should not throw in the trash. These type of garbage can be syringes, masks, sharp needles, swabs, bandages, plasters, e.t.c
You should be careful when dealing with medical waste because it can be highly contagious and have bacteria. Expired prescription drugs are poisonous and need special disposal arrangements. Also, expired and unused drugs can leach into water sources and soil.
Check with your local city on how to dispose of medical waste. Find take-back programs for any unused and expired prescription drugs you have.
4. Batteries and fluorescent light bulbs.
Batteries and fluorescent light bulbs should not go into the trash either because of their hazardous nature. Please don’t pick up and dump broken fluorescent light bulbs in the trash cart because they contain toxic vapor like mercury and dust. Car batteries, whether lead-acid or lithium, contain harmful chemicals, and you should take your old batteries to a recycling center. Collect all broken bulbs and drop them off at a hazardous waste collection facility.
Exercise extra caution when handling toxic waste of any nature. Some experts can guide you on how to get rid of hazardous waste.
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