Household Hazardous Materials

Acceptable Items by appointment:

You must call for an appointment prior to bringing materials to the plant.

  • Garage & Workshop -- acids/bases, acetone, aerosol cans, antifreeze, auto polish, auto starter fluid, varnish, brake fluid, car wax, carburetor cleaner caulk (labeled flammable), contact cement, driveway sealer, epoxy, gasoline and kerosene, glues, lighter fluid, paint (oil- and lead-based), paint remover, paint thinner, petroleum-based adhesives, roofing tar, shellac, stain, windshield washer solution.
  • Home & Garden -- aerosol cans, rechargeable batteries, rust removers, button batteries, fungicide, furniture polish, insect spray, solvent-based metal polish, wallpaper remover, concrete cleaners and etchers, mothballs, pesticides, pool chemicals, rat/mouse and gopher poison, brush killer, spot remover, weed killer, fertilizers.
  • Kitchen & Bathroom -- solvent-based cleaners, drain cleaners, ammonia-based cleaners, floor care products, oven cleaner, polish remover.

No appointment is needed for the following accepted materials:

  • Sharps
  • Light bulbs
  • Antifreeze
  • Waste oil
  • Smoke
  • Fire and carbon monoxide alarms and propane canisters

Sharps include:

  • Acupuncture Needles
  • Blood Vials
  • Broken Glass or Capillary Tubes
  • Culture Dishes and Slides
  • Exposed Ends of Dental Wires
  • Lancets, Needles, Hypodermic and Tubing
  • Pipettes
  • Root Canal Files
  • Scalpel Blades
  • Suture Needles
  • Syringes with and without Needles
  • Trauma Scene Waste that can Cut, Slice or Pierce

The "sharps only" container is located on the tipping floor of the Resource Recovery Plant and can be accessed only during business hours. Residents can deposit their sharps either by using an official red sharps container or placing sharps in a liquid laundry detergent bottle with the lid taped on and labeled "Sharps".

Residents can dispose of sharps and light bulbs from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. Because the sharps container is locked, sharps may not be left unattended; customers should talk to a Resource Recovery Plant employee. When sharps and used needles are not disposed of properly, they can spread infection and cause serious health problems. 

 

Unacceptable Items

Unacceptable materials include:

  • Latex Paint (if you dry it out in the can, it becomes regular garbage; see What Can I Do With Old Paint?)
  • Used Motor Oil/Oil Filters (we accept this during normal operations on the tipping floor)
  • Lead Acid Batteries (we accept these at no charge on the tipping floor during normal operations)
  • Ammunition/Explosives (please take these to your local police/sheriff department)
  • Asbestos (can be taken to the Boone County Landfill; call them at 515-433-0591 for authorization and delivery instructions)
  • Radioactive Materials
  • Fire Extinguishers (we will accept these during normal operations on the tipping floor)
  • Non-Hazardous Waste (we will accept this during normal operations on the tipping floor)

Any questions regarding whether or not a product you've got is hazardous, please call us at 515-239-5137 from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Businesses and farms may call the Metro Hazardous Waste Drop-Off in Bondurant at 888-603-2739, visit the Metro Hazardous Drop-Off website, or call Resource Recovery.

Prevent or Manage Hazardous Waste in Your Home

What you can do to prevent or manage hazardous waste in your home:

  • Recycle
  • Reduction at the source. Choose safer alternatives whenever possible.
  • Don't buy more chemicals than you will use in one season.
  • Read labels and follow instructions for use and disposal.
  • Store paint properly. Keep in a dry area and place lid on tightly to keep air out. Properly handled, oil-based paint has a shelf life of almost 15 years.
  • Share usable leftovers with others.
  • Buy the largest size of cleaning products you can realistically use up. Concentrated products and refillable containers create the least waste.
  • Buy only enough pesticide to carry you through the season.
  • Safely store unused products in original containers and away from pets and children.
  • Properly dispose of hazardous materials.
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