Metro shares tips for safe disposal, safer alternatives
Planning some last-minute spring cleaning? Whether your task includes clearing old pesticides out the garage or getting rid of fluorescent lights and other mercury-containing products, it's easy to protect your loved ones and the environment by getting rid of toxic trash the right way. Follow these Metro tips to find out how.
Learn to identify toxic trash
Proper recycling or disposal of hazardous household products helps protect people, pets and the planet.
Recognizing household toxic trash is an important step to proper disposal. Many everyday products used in housework, home improvement, car maintenance and gardening may contain chemicals that can harm human health or pollute the environment. Look for words such as "warning," "caution," "flammable," "poison," "danger" or "combustible" on the label, and avoid discarding product contents in the sink, down a storm drain or in your garbage can.
Safely dispose of household toxics
Metro accepts various types of residential toxic trash – batteries, paints and stains, pool chemicals, motor oil, cleaners, medical needles and disinfectants, for example – for proper recycling or disposal. Bring it to one of the agency’s two household hazardous waste facilities year-round, or participate in a free household hazardous waste collection event from March to November.
Some common toxic materials:
- Paint – Oregon’s industry-run program for paint recycling makes it convenient to drop off unwanted paint and keep reusable resources out of landfills. For the nearest paint-collection center, call 1-800-CLEANUP or visit the PaintCare website. Empty metal paint cans or those with only a small amount of dry residue can be recycled at the curb. For recycling or disposal options on empty plastic paint containers, call Metro’s recycling hotline.
- Electronics – Oregon prohibits disposal of computers, monitors and TVs in the garbage or at landfills, transfer stations and incinerators. Instead, the Oregon E-Cycles program makes it convenient and free for residents to recycle these items. Also, many electronics recyclers accept products such as mice, keyboards, printers, cellphones, DVD players, fax machines and handheld devices. Call Metro's recycling hotline for details.
- Compact fluorescent lights – Bring unbroken bulbs to one of Metro's household hazadous waste facilities or a nearby collection center listed in Metro’s searchable recycling directory.
Reduce the use of toxic products
What's even better than recycling or properly disposing of hazardous products? Using less. Save a trip to a hazardous waste facility and help protect your family with these easy steps:
- Choose safer alternatives – Metro offers free education programs and publications such as "Green Cleaners: Simple Cleaning Recipes for a Safer Home" to help you use effective, less-toxic alternatives to hazardous household products.
- Buy only what you need – Check your inventory before buying hazardous products, and get no more than what’s needed.
- Share leftovers with someone who can use them – Avoid sharing old pesticides, however, which lose effectiveness after two years and may contain banned chemicals.
Learn more about toxic trash – including recycling, proper disposal and safer alternatives – by visiting Metro’s website or calling Metro’s recycling hotline at 503-234-3000.